G R A V I T Y
by Emerin
Summary: Singing solace to the silence. Still the road keeps on telling me, to go on. Something is pulling me...I feel the gravity, of it all. xSLASH RonHarry, DracoJimmy, SiriusRemus x
1. Addiction By Moonlight

Hullo Gentle Readers!

It is I, ME! LoL. So, I finally edited this story so it would atleast APPROACH decent. Now, I have a few issues to get across to you, then you can be on your way and enjoy my story. Firstly, note that, indeed, this is a spin off of my other story, Harry Potter and the Closure of the Prophecy. This story came to me while I was writing CoP, or more accurately, talking to my friend ABOUT my writing CoP. She inspired Opaque Juliet first and foremost, and I'll dedicate that chapter to her when it comes round. But, ok, so you don't get confused, here I go; _This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Trequel. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._ Now I know these chapters seem centered around sex and homosexuality, but, oh well. Deal with it! Or don't read it. This is just for me to branch on the unconventional explanations the third book could've taken ( I.E. 'The Letter' Draco gave Jimmy at the end of CotP). I like to play around with ideas, just bear with me.

Ok. Secondly,there is a song at the beginning of each chapter. Thats simply for mood music. If you have the song, listen to it, if you don't, download it. Haha, just kidding. The song's are just an added bit of fun. Don't worry about them too much. Oh, and the breakers are supposed to be wands, but is being a ponce and not showing the sparks. Oh well, use your imagination. ::smiles with sparkles in his eyes and draws a rainbow in the sky::

Alright, I think thats it. Of course, there's the disclaimers, but you know about them already. If not, I'll list them anyway, then we can get on with the show.

**THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN _SLASH_ (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED.**

* * *

'Halo' Oleander  
  
(Spin off from Harry Potter and the Closure of the Prophecy)  
  
Takes place just after "_Explanations_"  
  
Summary: Remus Lupin takes pride in his ability to overcome the animal instincts that threaten to take hold of him when he transforms from man to werewolf. But what happens when he can no longer deny the hunger for human flesh? Especially when it happens to be the young flesh of a certain Godson... 

( **STRICT R RATING for mature content)**

()==()=======  
  
A man with tawny hair and a slender frame wandered through the parlor of a large and grand house; The House of Black. Remus Lupin was still young but his premature gray hairs and frown lines gave people the impression he was somewhere in his late 40s, when in reality he was in his late 30s. He gave a tired sigh and crossed from the extravagant parlor into the library, hoping to find solace, and indeed found it.  
  
Nestled on the ottoman in-between two large throw pillows, was his Godson, Jimmy Potter.  
  
A strapping lad of seventeen, Jimmy was the embodiment of everything Remus missed from his own school days. A wild sprit, Jimmy was, with enough energy to light London for a decade. His piercing green eyes looked exactly like his brother's, Harry. Or rather, everything looked like Harry. If it wasn't for the short, wildly spiked hair, the older man wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Especially now.  
  
The boy was engrossed in a rather thick book, his reading glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose as he eagerly turned a page. Remus had to grin as he made his way over to the boy as quietly as possible.  
  
Jimmy had picked out a comfortable looking spot that faced the fireplace, and was completely oblivious to the fact that he now had company. The older man waltzed around the corner of the sofa and sunk into its cushions gratefully. Like clockwork, Jimmy scooted over, never tearing his eyes away from the pages, and settled into his Godfather's arms.  
  
Remus gave a soft sigh, hugging his boy to him happily.  
  
Jimmy snuggled his head into Remus' chest, and paused his reading to look up at him," Long night?"  
  
"Longest ever," Remus mumbled, his face now engulfed in Jimmy's wild and chaotic raven hair. Sea water and apples. Jimmy must've just bathed.  
  
"How did it go?" Jimmy inquired, squirming to get a comfortable position, propping his book up on Lupin's lap.  
  
"The usual."  
  
Now, they were both referring to Remus' most recent task. An exhausting job of both taking care of the manor and running on missions for the Order of the Phoenix. Jimmy's new presence in all of it seemed to bring relief to the older man. He was a mixed blessing. But Remus knew he was more of a gift than a curse. Harry could hardly be seen without a smile on his face, his twin brother practically a fallen angel in his eyes. Remus had to agree. Young Jimmy Potter was an absolute angel, everything he had hoped he'd turn out to be.  
  
"Going to bed soon?"  
  
Lupin gave a half-hearted shrug, unable to bring himself to dislodge the boy's head from his shoulder. Suddenly, the blonde stiffened, his muscles refusing to give even an inch. For Jimmy's hand had rested itself on Lupin's inner thigh. Granted, the boy probably had no idea, already back to his book, but the contact was sending Remus into an internal frenzy.  
  
'Its ok, you twit. Its just Jimmy...Why are you so jumpy?' He scolded to himself.  
  
Jimmy's hand made an awkward shift, brushing against the werewolf's crotch as he simply turned his page. In an instant, Lupin was on his feet and scurrying out the door mumbling something about indigestion and horse radish.  
  
Jimmy blinked, puzzled, then returned to his book brushing off his Godfather's antics. He would just never understand old people.

Lupin raced to his bedroom and didn't bother to pause until he had his back pressed against the inside of his closed door. Why was his heart beating so fast? Why was his stomach having trouble settling down? Why couldn't he shake from his mind the look of bewilderment on Jimmy's beautiful face ?  
  
Before he could think anymore, Remus piled himself into bed and forced himself into an uneasy sleep.

O==O============

The next morning found Remus slinking into the kitchen, his hair a knotted mass of ash-blond. His eyes barely registered someone shoving a cup of coffee into his hands and guiding him to a seat. He grunted as he took his first few sips of caffeine, sighing as it filtered into his system.  
  
"Sleep well?"  
  
Lupin almost choked on his mouthful as he recognized the voice as Jimmy's," What're you doing up so early?"  
  
"Ah, Harry kept me up with his dreaming.And that friggin' dog, " Jimmy shook his head and settled in the chair opposite Remus.  
  
Max was an eager and friendly golden retriever that Harry had inherited from his late girlfriend. Though he was a generally good dog, the animal did cause many a headache with his much too cheerful demeanor.  
  
Lupin chuckled," No need to elaborate...Its actually nice, to have company this early in the morning."  
  
Jimmy smiled and took a sip from his cup.  
  
Remus couldn't help but notice the boy's strong yet graceful fingers as they laced around his mug. He took tentative sips, as if the liquid was either too hot or he wanted the drink to last longer. He looked exactly like James and Harry, it was simply eerie. Except the fact that Jimmy didn't wear his glasses full time and his hair was always standing up from the gel he used to tame it , though at the moment it portrayed the normal Potter mess, Jimmy was a spitting image of his father. Remus' gut gave an ache as he shifted his eyes away from the handsome face and onto a sleek neck sliding down smoothly until it disappeared underneath a t-shirt.  
  
He shouldn't be looking at his Godson this way...It wasn't right...But.. he couldn't help it.  
  
Jimmy frowned and reached across the table to place his hand over the worried looking man's, " You alright?"  
  
"Umm hmm...Just..just tired..."  
  
Remus rose from the table and left Jimmy, once again, looking puzzled.

O==O=========  
  
Remus ran a hand through his fine tawny hair, stalking down the hallway towards the bathroom. After spending an entire afternoon punishing himself for the hideous thoughts coursing through his brain, he finally felt the effects of the morning cup of coffee. He had refused to exit his room under any circumstances. Tonight at midnight, Harry and Jimmy would be leaving for Hogwarts, so, all he had to do was avoid Jimmy until then and he'd be all set. The thoughts would vanish and it'd turn out to be just a fluke. For the idea of Remus harboring anything but fatherly feelings for the young Potter was simply absurd. He was James' boy, for Merlin's sake! What would James think? Sirius? Or even Jimmy for that matter. He was supposed to be Jimmy's guardian, he was entrusted to this task because James believed him to be trustworthy. Thinking scandalous thoughts about a seventeen year old( despite how handsome he was) was definitely NOT being trustworthy.  
  
Remus gave an exasperated sigh and walked into the bathroom. Stopping dead in his tracks, he bumped into the person he'd been avoiding all day.  
  
Jimmy was busying himself at the sink, furiously scrubbing his hands. Lupin walked over, curiosity getting the better of him," What're you doing?"  
  
Jimmy looked over, surprise fading away into annoyance," Stupid Harry. He was doing some homework he forgot to do and I was leafing through my new books. I ACCIDENTALLY spilled his ink bottle when I had reached for my Arthimancy text and he went all berserk . Next thing I know, we're doing a Star Wars with our quills."  
  
Lupin leaned over to examine the damage and found himself both amused and concerned. The tops of Jimmy's hands were an angry red, faint traces of ink peeking through. It appeared Harry had somehow managed to scribble a crude picture of a cartoon character with its tongue sticking out. The squibbles of spiky hair on the guy made it obvious that it was meant to be Jimmy. Without knowing what he was doing, Lupin had reached over and was gently brushing his fingers across the raw skin.  
  
" I'll have to have a talk with that boy. Wasting ink like that..."  
  
Amber eyes met with emerald. Before he could stop himself, Lupin trailed light fingers down the brunette's cheek, watching the skin flush beneath his touch. He trailed his fingers down a sleek jaw, and a smooth neck, panning his hand out over the broad shoulder. Muscles jumped beneath his palm and he had a sudden urge to see those muscles, to make them writhe beneath that tanned skin even more.  
  
Lupin was besides himself with desire, the scent wafting into his ultra- sensitive senses, making his primal instincts rear up. It was all too surreal.. Feeling Jimmy's warmth beneath his thin t-shirt, noticing how the boy trembled but didn't pull away as he leaned in. The boy's body gave a jolt as the werewolf's lips grazed across a bare collarbone. He closed his eyes and he was no more.  
  
Remus parted his lips and took in more of the sweet skin, nibbling and teasing it. Jimmy exhaled shakily, pressing further into the man's arms until they were pressed flush against one another. His attraction was undeniable, and it was this that made the blonde groan in satisfaction. Jimmy pushed his hips against the other's, snaking his hands up the lean back before locking on the shoulderblades.  
  
The man dragged his mouth up the brunette's neck, lightly nipping at the soft lobe. Jimmy gave a delicious grunt and became butter in his embrace. Lupin took that tender piece of flesh into his mouth, rolling it against his tongue. The young Gryffindor purred, his nimble hands moving up to tangle through tawny locks. Remus shuddered, gliding a hand up slender hips and tugging at the hem of his shirt. In one fluent motion, Jimmy's shirt was on the ground and Remus drunk him in.  
  
The skin that lay there was nothing like he'd expected. Too soft to belong to a boy's, too smooth to hold any strength beneath it. But low and behold, muscles flexed as the werewolf brushed his fingertips up along the flat stomach and up across a firm chest. He could tell now that the boy's body was different from that of his brother's. Quidditch and Quodpot have developed the muscles beyond slim and lean, making it certain that Jimmy was probably a Beater or a Chaser.There was a great deal of strength behind those ginger hands that Remus desperately wanted to discover.  
  
With a strangled groan, Remus moved the boy back, pinning him against the sink. Jimmy hoisted himself onto it, parting his legs and pulling the blonde to him once again. Remus ground his hips into the brunette's, smiling at the soft moan he elicited. Using quick, deft fingers, the man unbuttoned Jimmy's jeans and guided the zipper down, parting the flaps like a Christmas present. Jimmy arched against his eager hands, his head tilting back to expose his neck to Remus' anxious mouth. Fingers crept beneath the jeans and a heat he had never known was inches from his grasp.  
  
Gently, the blonde wrapped his fingers loosely round the hardened flesh over the boxers, prompting a deep hiss from Jimmy. The boy arched further, his hands gripping the sides of the sink beneath him. Slowly, but firmly, Remus rubbed his hand against the quivering organ, coaxing low, throaty moans from the flushed brunette. He could feel his own arousal straining against his pants, begging for attention. As if he heard the man's thoughts, Jimmy reached down and cupped the stiff erection through Remus' jeans. Lightly, he dragged his fingernails across the throbbing bulge, making Remus press harder into him.  
  
He vaguely felt his shirt being pushed from his shoulders, tender hands brushing down his chest and tracing years worth of scars into oblivion.  
  
The touch was like heaven, so eager and willing to please. So skilled, yet so innocent . Then it was on his zipper again, slowly pulling it down and guiding his jeans off his hips. He didn't know what made him do it..Maybe it was the haze of passion wearing off or maybe it was reality sinking in..Whatever the case, Remus had darted his free hand out and clutched Jimmy's wrist. Pulling away, he looked down into confused jade eyes.

He couldn't do it...He just couldn't...  
  
He hastily backed up, pulling his jeans back on, his breathing still heavy and uneven. With one last look, Remus fled from the bathroom, stumbling past a puzzled Harry as he raced back to his bedroom. There, he flung himself at the wall, taking out his frustrations and ignoring the concerned questions being asked on the other side of his door.  
  
He punished himself well into the night, the image of rejection and hurt planted across Jimmy's young and flushed face all the torture he would ever need...

O==O==========  
  
Remus lay on his back, his body sinking into the thick covers of his bed while he tried to drown himself in the darkness of his room. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side, curling up miserably to a cold pillow. Though he deserved his misery, he hated it. Already, the memory of Jimmy's warm body pressed against his was beginning to haunt him. Screwing up his face, Remus tried with all his might to fight back tears, but failed miserably. Hot, frustrated and shameful tears. Too busy with his own grief, the ash-blonde didn't even notice when his door creaked open and a figure crept in cautiously.  
  
"R-remus?"  
  
Remus shot up in bed, his loose tawny mane crowning his face, tumbling across his bare shoulders.  
  
Jimmy inched forward, his sweatshirt and jeans hanging sickeningly perfect on his frame. The two men regarded eachother for several long moments, neither daring to voice his thoughts. Then Remus sighed, throwing the covers of his bed to one side. Jimmy crossed the room and crawled in, curling up to the older man's body. His hand immediately latched onto the werewolf's side, his cheek nestled on the blonde's chest.  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
Remus frowned, burying his face in gorgeous coal locks," I should be the one apologizing."  
  
There was silence, and then," I love you, Remy."  
  
"I love you too, Jim." He closed his eyes, and he was no more.


	2. Opaque Juliet

Hullo again!

Here's chapter two. I gotta say, of all the stories I've written, Gravity is my all time FAVORITE. Its too much fun to write. Anyways, here comes the fun stuff!

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the 3rd Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

A/N 3: My dear friend Kristine was the sole creator of Skye Riddle. So, Kristine has Skye's papers, but I get to hold the Slytherin's leash ::grins evilly::

A/N 4: I considered toning this down, but then reconsidered. This will be one of the only scenes I write out, aside from the first one. So, I left it as is just cause its the only lemon played out completely and its not slashy. I better get reviews this time!

* * *

_' Who makes you feel' Dido_  
  
Summary:: Everyone at Hogwarts has become overwhelmingly enchanted with the Potter Twins. Their charisma, coy grins and golden way of being everybody's favorite person to be around, has sky-rocketed them to Hogwarts Finest list. Apparently, Slytherins are no exception in regards to the duo's appeal.

(** STRICT NC-17 RATING for graphic content**)

()==()=======  
  
The first time she ever saw them, she was sure it had been a hex gone awry. I mean, honestly, who really ever thinks right off the bat ' OH! There's two of them! They must be brothers!' . No one, that's who.  
  
She honestly didn't. And, though she'd never admit it, she reacted just as everyone else had. Of course, she was more discreet about it .Rather than resembling a clabbert spitting out a fish head, she hid her puzzlement behind a convenient hand or a curtain of hair.  
  
After the initial shock of it wore off, the idea of a pair was more than amusing. So much entertainment, so many opportunities. Skye Riddle now found herself in Advanced Potions, perched atop a stool in the very last seat of the back row, which, consequently, was right besides Jimmy Potter. She was allowing herself to take furtive peeks at him from beneath her thick lashes, making sure his hand was precisely where she wanted it to be. Yep, there it was, gently holding the edge of the desk while the other scribbled away as Professor Snape rambled on some nonsense that wasn't even necessary to take down. If anything else, Skye hated over-achievers most of all. Especially goody goody, GRYFFINDOR over-achievers. And even more so if that particular Gryffindor was directly related to the famous Harry Potter, bane of her existence. Stupid bloody git and all his saintly ways. Well, if she couldn't get at Harry anymore, she could certainly torture his brother. Hell, he might even be more fun.  
  
Harry just didn't retaliate the way he used to.  
  
Skye smirked to herself as Gregory Goyle slipped a small vial of concentrated Murtlap into his sleeve unnoticed. Also unnoticed, went the vial from Goyle's fingers into Patricia Wills' pocket. The smug Slytherin stood up and sauntered to the back under the guise that she was going to wash up. No one seemed to pay this any mind, everyone washed before they started a potion. And no one paid any mind when she took the long way round all the tables, passing by Jimmy Potter's desk besides the far wall. He WAS right infront of the sinks, you know.  
  
No one saw the vial emerge, no one saw the cork pop off into the girl's pocket, and certainly no one saw any protruding stone in the otherwise smooth concrete.  
  
Nonetheless, as the girl tripped, the contents of that tiny vial sloshed all over the oblivious Gryffindor's unsuspecting hand.  
  
The raven-haired boy jerked back, his stool's legs making a god awful screech in the otherwise subdued classroom. Everyone was paying attention now.  
  
Skye burst into a fit of giggles at the sheer look of horror on the brunette's face as great locks of bright purple hair sprouted up from his hand,along his arm and neck and feathered off at his jaw. He leapt from his seat, confused and shocked at the plumage of purple growing at a rapid rate on his skin. Potter 1 and several other Gryffindors had by now scrambled over to him, blocking him from general view from the hysterical class. Fortunately, Skye still had a perfect view of the bewildered boy, and she wasn't going to hide her amusement.  
  
Potter 1 looked over at her and shot a deadly glare.  
  
Skye grinned innocently, then turned to his brother. The smile almost instantly dropped from her face at the look she received. He was staring steadily at her, embarrassment clearly stated in his piercing green eyes. But what had caused her to falter was the second element to his expression. _Was it...? No. No it couldn't be_.  
  
Skye watched silently as Potter 1 and his blonde turn-coat guided Potter 2 out of the room , undoubtedly towards the Infirmary. Every Slytherin student was besides themselves with laughter, even Snape was tickled by the incident. Skye simply sat on her stool, at a loss of words.  
  
Jimmy had looked...amused. _AMUSED_!  
  
This was clearly going to be an interesting term.

O==O=========  
  
It was a clear night that found Skye wandering the halls of Hogwarts, strolling about as casually as a slinky cat. Speaking of which-  
  
" Hullo Mrs. Norris."  
  
The lamp-eyed feline paused in her canter and considered the girl before bounding up onto the window sill and waited to be pet. Skye held back a sigh and approached her, gingerly stroking her head. Skye never liked cats, hated them in fact. But But if sucking up to this one meant she could freely roam the corridors, than so be it. She wasn't beneath earning allies, human or not, that came in handy to have somewhere along the way.  
  
Digging into her robes, Skye pulled out the reason Mrs. Norris even bothered with her: A fresh chocolate frog. The cat sank her teeth into the animate candy and pranced away.  
  
The Slytherin shook her head, shifting her gaze from the retreating animal to the grounds outside. What caught her eye was most intriguing. From her position atop the west corridors, she had a perfect view of the lake. More importantly though, the activities going on at the lake.  
  
A pair of students, identities unknown at this distance, had themselves precariously perched on a rock that jutted out over the icy waters.  
  
"Morons." She sneered. And so, she made her way down to the lake.  
  
The January air was brisk, to say the least. Had she known she'd be spying on rule breakers outside, she would've brought along her cloak and a scarf. As it was, the chilly night winds were harshly stinging her delicate ivory skin. Drawing her robes tighter round her slender frame, Skye picked her way down a vague path until she was within sight of the mystery students. Choosing an appropriate vantage point halfway up a large boulder, Skye leaned over just enough to pick up on their conversation.  
  
"- couldn't be sure that's what they thought."  
  
"Well, I am. You could just tell."  
  
"That's just....UGH!"  
  
" Stop letting it get to you. By the end of the week, you're going to pop an eye vessel."  
  
"That's just ridiculous."  
  
Well, atleast she could tell they were male. As for their chat, Skye bargained she could've stayed in the castle and by now, be in the Slytherin common room enjoying a warm cup of cocoa instead of lying on a cold piece of earth, listening in on an uneventful conversation.  
  
"So, did you hear about Moony?"  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Seems he's been a bit off these days. I mean, from what Tonks tells me after D.A.D.A. class, he hasn't really spoken to anyone since the day we left."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
_Hmm, well, not a complete loss, but still boring._  
  
"Yeah. She says she's worried. Usually he's all over the place, helping out one way or another. But not this week. He's more or less silent."  
  
"But has he been doing his tasks?"  
  
"Well...yes..."  
  
"Then? I don't see anything wrong."  
  
"He's hiding something."  
  
"We ALL hide something, Harry. Geez, give the guy a break. He's entitled to some privacy."  
  
_Aha! So one of them was Potter. Well well, that makes for some VERY interesting eavesdropping. But who was this 'Moony' they were referring to?_ Skye crept a little closer.  
  
" Don't go biting MY head off. I only meant-"  
  
"You meant _nothing_! He just wants some privacy is all. What with the Order breathing down his neck every five fucking minutes and everyone expecting him to be the Great and Silent Remus Lupin, its a wonder he hasn't gone insane by now."  
  
"Now, that's not fair. We worry about him, is all. The full moon's coming up soon."  
  
" I talked to him, he's perfectly fine. He's just...yanno..tired."  
  
"_Tired_?"  
  
"Yes, _tired_."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
_Hmmm, well apparently this Remus Lupin was a close friend of Potter's, and so was his companion. The Order, huh?_ Skye's heart fluttered at the thought. _The Order of the Phoenix? It had to be. How many goody-goody organizations were there that Potter was apart of_?  
  
"Jim...I've noticed you've been a bit..er..EDGY, lately. Anything wrong?"  
  
_Jimmy! Of course!  
_  
"I'm fine."  
  
"You only say you're fine when something's wrong."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Jimmy-"  
  
"I'm FINE.."  
  
Harry sighed," Jimmy, we need to talk about something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The day we left for Hogwarts...When I saw you in the bathroom, and Lupin had just run out...What had happened?"  
  
"Care for a swim?"  
  
"Jimmy, its freezing! That water must be a good 20 degrees below!"  
  
"I take that as a no?"  
  
_My my, he was tricky,_ Skye thought to herself as Jimmy scrambled from the rock the boys were sprawled out on. He avoided the question and Harry's attention to it easily. _Shame he wasn't put in Slytherin, but then again, Saint Potty-head would never have allowed that._  
  
"Jimmy, you're going to catch your death out there! Cut it out and put your clothes back on!"  
  
Skye smirked and hoisted herself as far up as she dared, but all too late. A loud splash let her know the little peep show was over with. She couldn't help the pout that snuck its way into her lips.  
  
"Jimmy, I swear to god, you're going to hold the record for fastest way to get expelled."  
  
"Oh please, even you're not THAT stupid. You really think they'd expel me? ME? Or better yet, do you think YOU'D let them?"  
  
Skye was beyond impressee. A POTTER deduced in less than a week at Hogwarts what it took most students a month or two to discover? She was indeed intrigued.  
  
"Just..Just cut it out and come back here."  
  
Smothering an urge to giggle, Skye slipped from her perch and scurried across the grounds before the brothers noticed she was even there. Once in the safety of the school corridors, Skye allowed herself time to reflect on what she overheard. So, Jimmy wasn't as stupid and naive as everyone assumed he was. He knew how things worked and he obviously used it to his advantage. Of course, taking a midnight dip in the lake was hardly any cause for alarm from the authorities, but still. Jimmy Potter knew his role as brother to the famous Boy-Who-Lived. And he was ok with that?  
  
The raven-haired Slytherin crinkled her brow as she made her way to the dungeons. Jimmy Potter was definitely more than he seemed...Was he worth mentioning to father? He might prove to be a powerful ally. But were his principles that much different from Harry's? Something told her, in big fat bold letters, ' NO '. All the same, he was much too interesting to not..keep an eye on. Perhaps two. Maybe even some hands.  
  
He wasn't hopeless looking after all. Quite the opposite infact.  
  
Skye grimaced to herself as her thoughts strayed onto more intimate matters. Could she REALLY think of Jimmy Potter like that? Honestly, he wasn't his heroic brother, and it wasn't orders she was on...The girl shifted beneath her pallid skin, lightly stroking her chin.  
  
"No. No, I'm under orders..." Skye smirked," But then again, Father never knew there were TWO of them...I could still do my job AND have fun at the same time."  
  
_And no way is father controlling every aspect of my life_, she added on before waltzing through the Slytherin common room and up to bed.

O==O=========

"You know, that Prefect position was such a waste. I mean, how totally absurd was it to give it to Draco Malfoy, - again-? The traitor doesn't even use his power properly."  
  
Skye flipped back her hair, sighing with a bored roll of her crimson eyes. Somewhere along the way, tormenting Malfoy for his treason lost its zealous appeal. All he did was sit there anyways, never did he even bother to retort. That would ATLEAST make it interesting. Every day he was acting more and more like his bloody best friend, Potty and that pouf Ronald Weasley.  
  
"Ugh, disgusting creatures."  
  
"I know! What a disgrace!"  
  
"We should send a petition to Professor Snape to have him kicked from our house. He only splanters our good name."  
  
"Its 'SLANDER' you god awful prat. And if you're going to petition ANYTHING, I'd suggest it be against your parents for giving birth to you."  
  
Skye looked up at the familiar drawl to find herself staring into horribly pointing slate eyes. Even though Draco was a far cry from his father, he still managed the cruel and direct Malfoy glares all too well. Yes, he was a traitor and yes, she knew if Lucius was able to, he'd wipe the floor with his son's blood, but she just couldn't help admiring the resilient blond. He did what no one thought was possible: He defied genetics and joined the other side.  
  
Secretly, her heart always ached to do just that. Perhaps...  
  
"What the bloody 'ell are you looking at." The boy snapped, his face a flurry of annoyance and focused anger.  
  
" A big lot of NOTHING," She shot back, eliciting sniggers from her colleagues.  
  
Malfoy scowled, his posture stiffening. With catlike grace, he hunched over the table till he was eye level with her," I'd enjoy those pathetic wisps of enjoyment while I still could."  
  
"And what's THAT supposed to mean?" She replied, eyes narrowing.  
  
"It means, if I were you, I'd be scared. Potter isn't as stupid as the Dark Lord pinned him to be. He knows something's up, and I'll be only far too willing to enlighten the lad as to WHY a certain heir of Slytherin was suddenly transferred to Hogwarts in her last year. I believe he, along with the Headmaster, would be MOST intrigued in the story."  
  
Skye faltered and hissed beneath her breath, though it really was unnecessary since all of Slytherin house knew her _secret_," You wouldn't dare. You know it'd be your life."  
  
Malfoy set his jaw, body straightening," I've made my choice, and I'm willing to die for it...Are you?"  
  
The brunette stumbled over her words as she watched her fellow Slytherin turn on his heel and walk away.His words would haunt her for the remainder of the day. 

O==O===========

Skye proceeded through the next few months ignoring the conflicting emotions running rampade through her brain. She executed the confusion of the new Potter rather beautifully, though she knew she didn't necessarily have to kiss him that one night. That would always be her little secret, one of the many that would arise as she continued contact with the boy. She watched as he fought with his brother, as they distanced and quarreled. And she waited, baiting her time until her father would tell her the next step of the plan.  
  
It hurt, she never said it didn't, but what else was she to do? Defy him? She wasn't like Malfoy, she didn't have that sort of resolve. In addition to a self-preservation she couldn't shake, Skye also knew she'd never be accepted like the blond had been. Saint Pothead and Malfoy went back for ages, ever since they were lowly school boys. They had history, a deep- rooted relationship that allowed for such changes to occur.  
  
Neither Harry nor any other goody-goody hero knew beans about her...But that was the plan. Sneak in unknown into their ranks and destroy their world.  
  
Of course, when this all began, it had been specific. Target the Potter boy and annihilate him. Simple enough. But now, it was more complex, and darker. Crueler. On Valentine's night, she found her heart could no longer go along with the evil scheme plotted against both boys. One, to suffer a horrific death, just to crush the other's spirit. That's all Jimmy was to her father, a means to an end. Just another way to get at Harry Potter. . Bloody famous Harry stinking Potter. Everything revolved around him it seemed. Her father was absolutely consumed by the brunette, submerging himself in so deeply it well past brinked manic obsession.  
  
No, enough was enough. No more.  
  
So, she let Jimmy Potter go. Threw him off with a weak stunning spell and ran before the realization hit either him or his brother of what she had done. She dealt with the inevitable glares she received from Harry, they were easy enough to shake off. But it was Jimmy who unsettled her. Those eyes, exactly identical to Harry's, held a deep wisdom in them as he looked at her throughout the day. His gaze seemed calculating, critical, as if he were trying to piece together a rather difficult puzzle but couldn't quite get it.  
  
It was this and only this that had moved her to seeking him out that night. It moved her to do more than just seek him out the one time, however. She very well knew meeting the Potters again and disclosing valuable information would mean her head, but she didn't care.  
  
Malfoy's words wouldn't leave her alone, and she'd be damned if she couldn't do something Malfoy could.  
  
After Skye left Jimmy in the Room of Requirement, her heart fluttered madly in her chest as she paced her dormitory like a caged panther. She would probably see him the very next day in class, but it was just too far off. She desperately needed to speak to him alone, longer than a few minutes. There were new feelings breaking against her mind like icy waves. Feelings she never knew she was capable of.  
  
Was this what Malfoy meant? Would she be willing to die for what was happening in the pit of her stomach? In the depths of her thoughts? In the aching hollows of her heart?  
  
All she could see were blazing emerald eyes boring into hers, a gentle hand caressing away a lifetime of pain and scars. When she closed her eyes, she no longer saw death and nothingness. There was light. Beautiful and brilliant and warm. A question still lingered on the edges of her lips, and she was determined to have it answered. So, letting her heart guide her to a place her feet didn't know, Skye marched through the bowels of the dungeons and upward towards the light. 

O==O=========

It was probably brinking on 2 O'clock AM as she crept across the landing deemed " Seventh Year Boys' Dormitories ". She knew from the bits she picked up from the Hogwarts gossip mill, that the Potters shared their own room. It was supposed to be a secret, and most Gryffindors were more or less good at keeping it mentioned at a hushed level, but then there were the girlfriends in Hufflepuff that just couldn't keep their mouths shut about the whole thing.  
  
She was sure that if her little venture were to be discovered, those Hufflepuffs would be flaunting assless backsides come morning.  
  
As for the password, well, she quietly thanked a rotund seventh year boy for blurting it out in Herbology that day. Sometimes she wondered whether the Gryffindors really needed to be so chivalrous and valiant when they had an idiot like that in their midst.. If it were Slytherin and that Longbottom proved to be more harm than good, they'd just toss the useless prat out of their house. Bloody Gryffindors and their never ending loyalty. It was disgusting.  
  
Skye sneered into the darkness at her thoughts, but quickly forgot all about her annoyance when she came upon the last door at the end of the hall. Hung on it was a bulletin board, various notes, messages and questions pinned to it. Nothing other than the addressee's names mentioned here and there would've given anyone the slightest inclination that this was indeed the Potters' room. So, as silently as she could manage, Skye slipped inside and closed the door behind her with a soft click.  
  
Noises of muffled sleeping floated their way across the room to her ears. Biting her lip, Skye tip-toed over the smooth wooden floor towards the two four-poster beds outlined by the moonlight. She barely managed to stifle a gasp as she looked down upon the slumbering figure of Jimmy Potter. His features looked porcelain in their stillness, his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath.  
  
A sheet hugged selfishly to sinewy muscles and the covers were already ensnared around his long legs. Getting an eyeful of his exposed side, Skye had to hold herself back from reaching out to see if his skin was indeed as soft as it looked.  
  
Now that she was here, Skye had no idea what to do. Honestly, what did she expect? That he'd be up and waiting, fully willing to just launch into some meaningful conversation? Oh, this was silly, not to mention dangerous. She might've earned Jimmy's trust somewhat, but it didn't mean she got Harry's as well. She heard he was jumpy and all too quick with his wand. It'd be just her luck to startle the boy and find herself a pile of soot.  
  
So, as carefully as she could manage, Skye edged her way back towards the door. Then it happened. Her foot landed on a loose floorboard and the creak that sliced through the night air was defeaning. A grunt, a snort and Skye soon found herself leaping to the side in order to avoid a hex.  
  
" _Diffindo_!"  
  
Skye gasped, feeling the hex slicing through her bathrobe as she dove to the floor..  
  
" _Dissendium_!"  
  
"Wait!"  
  
" _Impedimenta_!"  
  
"AHH!"  
  
"What the hell...?"  
  
" _Stupefy_!"  
  
"Stop!"  
  
"_**Harry!"**  
  
_Skye dared to look up as the barrage of curses ceased their assault on her. There blankets and feathers all over the place and she could smell the distinct scent of charred wood. She didn't need to guess what exactly had made the attack stop, however. Outlined in the window against the full moon, were two boys. One held a wand poised and ready for action while the other stood in-between the first and Skye's position on the ground. Both were breathing heavily, their midnight-black hair standing haphazardly on end as they apparently stared eachother down.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you!"  
  
"_ME_!? I'm not the one rattling off hexes like a psycho!"  
  
" Someone was here! What did you expect me to do? Make him tea?"  
  
" Well, he's gone now, isn't he?"  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
Skye couldn't help but flinch as both boys turned their gazes sharply on her. As dignified as she could manage, despite her slashed clothing and disheveled hair, Skye rose to her feet.  
  
"**You**!" Harry roared." What the bloody hell do you think you're doing here!"  
  
" And what business is it of YOURS?" She shot back angrily.  
  
Harry stammered, obviously taken aback by such an answer," Its MY sodding room, that's why!"  
  
Skye flushed, realizing the stupidity of her retort." Oh..."  
  
" Ugh, can we NOT shout about in the dark like idiots please?" Jimmy sighed exasperatedly. " _Lumos_."  
  
All three blinked at the bright fires blazing from each candle and the fireplace.  
  
"Ok, better," Jimmy muttered.  
  
"Fine. Now I repeat, WHAT are you doing in our room?" Harry growled, his half-naked body rearing up like an angry dog.  
  
Skye looked from boy to boy, trying to ignore the fact that they were both clad in only boxer shorts." I,er, just..needed to ...talk."  
  
"Talk?" Harry echoed incredulously.  
  
"Talk," She repeated with more confidence then she felt. " I needed to talk to Jimmy. Is that a crime?"  
  
"Just needed to talk my white arse," Harry grumbled, but lowered his wand all the same.  
  
Jimmy, on the other hand, seemed more than intrigued as he crossed his arms," Why did you need to talk to me?"  
  
The girl shifted her feet, trembling beneath the Potter's penetrating dark jade eyes," I needed to figure some things out, is all."  
  
"Like what?" He inquired, arching a slender raven brow.  
  
He just stood there, in beautiful Gryffindor glory. Like a wood sprite in its human form, all hidden mischief and earthy mystery. The moonlight highlighted his neck and shoulders as the shadows from the fire danced dark patches on the rest of his bare skin. Even Harry in his post-battle fury was flushed and brooding in a gorgeous manner. Skye drew a sharp intake of breath as the reality hit her : The Potter twins were absolutely beautiful and she was in the same room with them, alone .  
  
In an instant, she knew exactly what she needed to do in order to sort out her conflicting emotions. With a rustle of her discarded tattered bathrobe, Skye crossed the room and planted a forceful, searing kiss on Jimmy Potter's mouth. His lips parted as he gasped, allowing her to slip her tongue in before he could protest.  
  
As soon as it begun, it was over. Skye took a step back, more than arrogant at the look of pure fluster she put on the Gryffindor's handsome face. Turning, Skye smirked as she caught Harry's stunned eye. Not bothering to stop and think of the consequences, the raven-haired Slytherin reached forward and pulled Harry's face towards hers, giving his shocked lips a kiss of their own.  
  
As she parted, a thought crossed her mind : This was too much fun to stop.  
  
Both boys were speechless and seductively disheveled. There was nothing to stop her from ravaging the two Gryffindors. So, with a flick of her ebony wand, Skye locked the door and cast a Silencing Charm on the room.  
  
Then she pounced. Like a cobra uncoiling sharply as it striked, Skye leapt upon Jimmy and once again devoured his sweet lips. Her hand blindly groped about in the night air before it clasped on Harry's strong shoulder, pulling him towards her. Her lips left Jimmy's and found his twin's almost instantly, her free hand clutching at the first boy's raven hair. Her hand trailed down Harry's chest and playfully snapped his waistband.  
  
The boy flinched, his muscles fighting beneath his skin to decide whether to push her away or yank her closer.  
  
Skye decided for him and pressed herself flush against him and his brother. Pulling away, she observed both teens in a critical manner. Their lips were swollen from her aggressive kisses and their cheeks flushed crimson in their pleasure. A smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth as she darted her eyes to Jimmy, drinking in his dazed and confused expression. She knew he was seconds away from questioning her actions, but she was in no mood to answer anything right now, so she simply shoved the boy back onto his bed. Grabbing Harry's hand, she quickly moved over and straddled the spiky- haired youth's lap, pinning him between her strong thighs. Skye jerked Harry to her, snaking an arm round his neck and hungrily kissed his lips as she ground her hips down into Jimmy's. His undeniable enjoyment made her smile against his twin's mouth, and she pushed herself down harder against the growing bulge.  
  
Either boy could've very well stopped her before any of this began, but they were obviously too far gone by now to do anything about it. Skye felt herself needing them, all of them, with an ache in her groin that burned like fire. She herself was still a virgin, though she never let it on that she was, but the appeal of losing it to either Golden Boy was absolutely tantalizing. She could always look back on tonight and know she would grin.  
  
Her hand spread as it dragged down Jimmy's heaving chest, already loving how he writhed beneath her. Harry seemed just as impatient as his tongue stabbed at hers aggressively, challenging each stroke she offered. They were both willing. They were both ready.  
  
Skye grinned broadly as she hooked a finger round each boy's waistband and tugged the blasphemous fabric down their slender hips. Parting from Harry's lips, panting, the Slytherin allowed herself several moments to adore the family jewels.  
"Oh my..."  
  
Skye was aware that it was the first thing she had said since kissing them, but it was more than appropriate. Each youths' length was thick and sleek, a nest of the blackest hair imaginable curling round the base. Skye felt herself quiver, a yearning spread from her pelvis towards her stomach and invaded her back. It was going to hurt, yes, hurt like hell, but she needed it. Already she somehow felt too empty. In one deft motion, Skye was rid of her bothersome nightgown and with some awkward shifting, her panties as well. Always the eager one, the girl foolishly rammed herself onto the boy beneath her, instantly regretting so with a vengence. A pain rivaling that of the Cruciatus shot through her body and threatened to rip her in two. Tears sprang from her eyes as a choked sob escaped her throat. It was unbearable, she would surely die, surely. Why did it hurt so much? Oh Merlin, _help_.  
  
Warm and tender hands ran up her thighs, easing the tension she didn't realize her muscles had built up. Looking down bleary-eyed, she found herself staring at a face full of concern and surprise.  
  
"S-skye?" Jimmy mumbled weakly through the mix of guilt and pleasure.  
  
Another set of hands crept up her back like the gentlest breeze," You were a virgin, weren't you?"  
  
Skye nodded miserably, unable to move for fear of what new onslaught of torture it would bring.  
  
"Oh, Skye," Jimmy breathed, wrinkling his forehead.  
  
"You want to stop?" Harry murmured softly somewhere behind her left ear.  
  
"No!" She exclaimed and quickly grabbed onto Jimmy's hip and reached behind her to pull Harry against her. The warmth that spread across her back was wonderful and alleviated the tiniest fraction of her discomfort.  
  
"You sure?" The subdued boy under her asked wearily.  
  
"Yes, Yes I want this."  
  
The look they exchanged went unnoticed by the girl in agony as she squeezed her eyes shut. It had started out so very subtle, she nearly missed it. But the sensation of skin rubbing on skin let her know that Jimmy's hands were guiding her to slowly rock on him. It was awful at first, a gnawing laceration slicing her organs apart bit by bit. Then it was as if she were submerged in a brilliant warm bubble bath. An unbelievable pleasure seeped into her very cells, making her skin tremble with desire.  
  
"O-oh my..."  
  
A chuckle breathed against her neck, causing goosebumps to rise all over her sensitizing flesh. The pain completely gave way to the most intoxicating bliss she never knew was possible. Her hand trailed up Harry's arm, seeking his hair to entangle in. Her mouth found his and kissed it with renewed fervor, allowing her hips to be guided in wider circles. And then the most erotic sound she had ever heard filtered through her ears and almost caused her to explode on the spot.  
  
It was a low growl from the deepest of octaves, and Skye couldn't help but quiver. Rocking her hips timidly, she sought out that sound. It came again, and again. She swirled her motions faster, feeling her muscles relax enough to wear she could clutch and stroke the hard flesh inside.  
  
That same throaty snarl melted her very bones and it dawned on her what exactly was making it. Or rather, WHO. She broke from the long-haired Potter and looked down to see Jimmy arching his back, his fingers dug deeply into her thighs. His teeth were clenched and it was obvious he was under some intensive restraint. He looked so delicious, Skye could've ate him up that very moment. So, she whirled her hips wider, then smaller, then faster. The boy was driven almost mad.  
  
The raven-haired Slytherin giggled then gasped as her hips were lifted and slammed back down onto the pulsing rod. The sensation of glorious friction was absolutely delightful and Skye feverishly sought more. And more. Oh god, and more.  
  
Her cheeks flushed and perspiration dampened their skin, but she didn't stop. Skye snaked her hand down a flat stomach to wrap anxious fingers round a quite neglected piece of male anatomy. Harry gave a gasp, and pushed his hips into her hands, clutching at her sides as she frantically tugged, stroked and squeezed his hungry member.  
  
Skye felt drunk with ecstasy and her body still ached for more. Both boys' hands were exploring her glistening porcelain skin, coaxing sighs and purrs from the aroused Slytherin. More. She simply needed more. So, she bent forward, pressing herself flush against Jimmy's heated body and gave Harry's erection a gentle but firm tug to follow. The boy complied easily, kneeling besides the straddled couple awaiting his next command.  
  
The girl honestly didn't know how this would work, but she really couldn't care with technicalities such as troublesome limbs or personal reservations on the brothers' parts. She wanted it and by damned, she was going to make them do it or die in the process.  
  
So, she shoved Harry behind her, keeping a tight grip on his manhood.  
  
"In."  
  
Harry seemed to blink slightly out of his stupor and stare at her bewildered," Pardon?"  
  
"Push. In." She repeated through clenched teeth. Honestly, were all Gryffindors this thick?"  
  
The absence of a certain organ inside her caused Skye to turn and glare at him through her sex-induced haze," Did I stutter, Potter or do you just not understand the Queen's English?"  
  
"But..." He began, unable to articulate the dilemma he was put in.  
  
"But what?"  
  
Harry visibly blushed like a silly schoolgirl. Oh really! Skye grumbled to herself. They were bloody shagging and here he was, EMBARRASSED.  
  
"Out with it, Potter." She panted as Jimmy thrust his hips upwards to get her moving again.  
  
"W-which..."  
  
" Which what?"  
  
"He's asking which entrance," Jimmy informed amidst a most enjoyable groan.  
  
Skye blinked, not expecting the brunette underneath her to be so blunt. Quickly, she recovered her calm and managed a sweet smile," I didn't realize you were into that sort of thing, Harry."  
  
The boy blushed, if possible, more and started to look almost indignant.  
  
Sighing exasperatedly, Skye reached round and grabbed hold of his member, noting with satisfaction that it was indeed harder and practically jumped right out of her grasp when she touched it. With forceful determination, she guided his erection in-between her thighs and left the damp head at the entrance where his brother was currently occupied," Push."  
  
Hesitation didn't usually seem to be part of the Potter persona, but tonight, it was. Skye was quickly losing patience , as well as control over the building tension in her pelvis, causing her temper to jerk from zoned out bliss to snappy irritation. But an irresistible cry later proved to be more effective than any persuasion the Slytherin could've come up with and immediately, she found a firm probing at her folds.  
  
She gasped, then spasmed forward, burying her face in Jimmy's moist neck as a second intruder squeezed inside her stretched walls. Too shocked to scream, Skye merely bit down hard on Jimmy's shoulder to express the mixture of agony and sheer ecstasy rocking the lower half of her body. Both organs moved in direct opposition to eachother, bringing overwhelming sensations shooting through the girl's slender frame. She felt as if there were a million tiny sparks of electricity massaging her inner walls with delicious results.  
  
They started to move faster, easing her tense muscles gradually until she was simultaneously launching herself down and back, over and over. _Faster, harder, more. Yes._ Skye licked up Jimmy's neck and slid eager fingers down Harry's thigh. _More. Yes, faster_. She arched her back, letting her screams tear her throat to shreds. _Yes, ah, yes, there. There. **There**._  
  
Harry's movements shifted, pushing his brother's thrusts further inside her and Skye exploded from the inside out. She thrashed and cried and clawed at anything her fingernails could reach as she rode out an additional orgasm that threatened to incapacitate her. Then she felt wonderful wetness gush inside her from violently throbbing members, and she sighed at the fantastic cries of delight it ripped from her boys.. It was a fullness only this very moment could bring, a feeling of utmost satisfaction.  
  
Skye finally opened her eyes and couldn't help but smile at the state the Potters were in. Brilliant red slashes across their otherwise perfect tanned skin, bruised pink mouths, and gorgeous flushes spread across smooth cheeks. Jimmy was even sporting what had to be a very painful bite mark, tiny drops of blood continuing to trickle from the wound. Skye reached down and ran her finger along the crimson blotches, then smeared the liquid across her lips. It was hot, metallic goodness that hit her tongue and made her shiver.  
  
With a most appeased smirk, Skye pushed herself off of both Potters and stood unsteadily. Her legs felt as if they were made of gelatin and every inch of her yearned to jump back into the boys' arms and fall asleep, but the risk of getting caught was a far greater incentive to be on her way.  
  
So, she hastily pulled on her nightdress, swept her robe round her shoulders and moved back over to the dazed twins.  
  
God, they DID look just oh so edible sitting atop the rumpled sheets, naked and obviously still reeling from the experience. If Skye hadn't been the modest, level-headed person she was, she could've very well been incredibly arrogant at the moment. She DID just defile The Boy-Who-Lived and his equally virginal brother.  
  
Perhaps later.  
  
Skye smiled and gave each youth a chaste kiss on their swollen mouths, smoothed back their damp, ebony locks with a playful grin and departed from their room before anyone was the wiser.  
  
She spent the remainder of her morning doing extensive recuperation and was seen throughout the day to gaze with a far off look in her burgundy eyes whenever the Potters came by.

- - - - -  
Epilogue  
"Don't look now, but here comes Juliet," Draco Malfoy muttered in Jimmy's ear.  
  
Sure enough, Skye came waltzing down the hallway, a mischievous grin scrawled across her face.  
  
Jimmy returned the gesture and was popped back to reality with a nudge in the ribs. Turning, he saw Draco giving him an odd look, a delicate silver brow arched inquisitively. He smirked.  
  
"Ok, what did you do?" Draco asked warily.  
  
Jimmy chuckled, throwing an arm round his blond friend's shoulders," I'm beginning to take QUITE a liking to you Slytherins."


	3. Reckless For Always

Hillo,  
So, here we are again! Having fun? I know I am! Here come the disclaimers!!!

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Trequel. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

_A/N 3:_ This chapter is full of naughty incest stuff. So, if you don't like that sort of thing, I suggest you get aquainted with your long-lost friend, the back button. I know I'm PROBABLY going to get splinched cause of this theory by my hardcore Trilogy fans, but oh well! Harry's a confused and misled youth and Jimmy's pretty. That calls for some slash-a-nation!!

_P.S_. Incase you haven't caught on yet, these first four chapters coincide with Closure of the Prophecy chapters. Its pretty easy to figure out where they get stuck in the Second Book, but if there're any questions, just ask it in a review.

* * *

'Reckless' The Devlins  
  
Summary: Separated since they were one year old, Harry and Jimmy Potter grew up not knowing he was apart of a set. Once reunited, the duo seemed to click instantly, despite their seventeen-year separation. Unfortunately, however, the wizarding world has turned chaotic as Voldemort's rise to power and a violent attack on Draco Malfoy ever taints the brothers' infant relationship. Panic, fear and suspicion morph into something else the boys never intended...  
  
( **STRICT R RATING for mature content**) 

()==()=======  
  
Jimmy Potter laid back, stretching out his slender legs in front of him. The night air was ruffling his short coal hair and now was he grateful that he decided to wear sweatpants instead of the pajamas Harry had provided him. Harry...  
  
Jimmy sighed and lowered himself onto his elbows, tilting his head back to gaze up at the white speckled sky. So much had happened...How had he managed to keep his sanity through it all?He had a brother, a twin, to be more specific. Jimmy was part of a set. A pair. A team. And now that was all at jeopardy.Draco had almost died tonight; he'd almost lost one of the people he had grown to cherish so much. But compared to that was the heavy cloak of guilt bearing down on Jimmy's shoulders. He hadn't told Harry about his relationship with Skye yet. He knew his brother would take it hard, but adding to the fact that Skye was whom she was didn't help Jimmy's confidence. She was the only offspring to their most loathed enemy. The very demon they were working so hard to destroy, Jimmy had found himself falling in love with his daughter.God only knew what everyone would do to him when they found out.  
  
But Jimmy feared Harry's reaction most of all. He loved his twin, so dearly his heart ached. He just couldn't bear to lose him. Jimmy shivered against a fresh gust of wind blowing past his exposed feet, arms and face. Sure, Harry had seemed ok enough with her, but who wouldn't be after their, er, encounter with Skye that one night in their dorm. Just the mere thought of what had happened sent chills through his body, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Jimmy let himself remember what it had felt like; the body heat, the friction, the skin. He had been so wrapped up in enjoying himself he hadn't really given the fact that technically he had sex with his brother, any thought. And now that it had crossed his mind, the spiky- haired Gryffindor found himself not all that disturbed. He knew he SHOULD be, that went without saying. But... he just wasn't.  
  
Oh, sure, he was a far cry from being perfectly ok with it, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. And if he was completely honest with himself, Jimmy had to admit that, well, he enjoyed it. Alot.  
  
The boy sighed, closing lids over emerald eyes, and shifted his thoughts back to that night in March.  
  
Mmm, Harry had felt delicious all crammed against him. It was the one and only touch the brothers had shared that night, and that sole contact made it all the more marvelous.It had been SO wrong on so many levels, but really. It felt good. Better than anything else Jimmy had done.  
  
The brunette chewed on his lip, frowning a bit. _Does this mean what I -think- this means?_ Jimmy pondered to himself. _Am I gay?  
_  
After several silent moments mulling this over, Jimmy gave a firm shake of his head. No, definitely not. He still made out with Skye with manic fervor whenever they got the chance and he remembered hurting with arousal each and every time. So, no, he was definitely not gay. But... what about that time with Lupin?  
  
Jimmy heard gentle rustling come from the hallway behind him and grimaced. _Shit. If someone catches me out on the friggin' roof, they're gonna_ freak. So, he made to sit up when a voice halted him.  
  
"No, its ok. I was just going to join you."  
  
Jimmy sighed in relief, though his body tensed," Come on out, bro."  
  
He watched as Harry climbed carefully through the window and crept cautiously across the shingles to where Jimmy was sprawled out." Aren't you cold out here?" He asked as he slowly sat down and brought his legs to his chest.  
  
Jimmy gave a lazy shrug, continuing to gaze at the new arrival. Harry more or less looked exactly like him, but there was definitely that -something- else to him that set him apart from, well, just about everyone. Perhaps it was his past, his fame, and his scar. Or perhaps it was the fact that despite all that, Harry was about as normal a guy as you could get. Ok, fine, he was something of a brown-noser, but he couldn't help that. He had these impeccable manners and was so chivalrous it was sickening. Harry was just...HARRY, nothing more could describe the guy. He was kind, caring, shy, smart and witty. And thanks to Jimmy, he had a much looser sense of humour and seemed to enjoy being himself much more than when they first met.Observing the teen besides him flick back his ear-length raven hair, Jimmy cocked his head. The gesture was almost immediately noticed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing," The other boy mumbled and turned back to the stars.  
  
"No, you were looking at me like I was some giraffe in the zoo," Harry said, wrapping his arms round his legs.  
  
" I was just thinking..."  
  
Minutes passed by in silence. Harry raised his brows expectantly, waiting several minutes for his brother to finish the sentence." And..?"  
  
Jimmy blinked at the interruption to his thoughts," Oh! Right, I was just thinking about how much you've changed."  
  
Harry sighed and rested his chin on his knees.  
  
_Oh boy, oncoming crisis alert_ . " Don't you start brooding or I'll shove you off this ledge."  
  
Harry managed to crack a smile, but it quickly ghosted away," I'm worried about Malfoy."  
  
Jimmy's face immediately solemned as his eyes flicked from the velvet sky to some far off spot in the distance," Me too."  
  
"Malfoy's always been, I don't know, this CONSTANT in my life. Whether he was being my friend or a downright prat, he was still **there**..."  
  
Jimmy looked over, seeing the anguish in Harry's eyes. He knew how he felt. Draco had become one of the best friends he had ever had.  
  
"But...I don't know. He'll be ok. I know he'll pull through...Its DRACO for heaven's sake. Nothing gets that Slytherin down."  
  
The Gryffindor gave a weak chuckle," Maybe 'cept the rejection of a cute guy."  
  
Harry blinked, and jerked his head towards the comment," Wait, _WHAT_?"  
  
It was Jimmy's turn to blink as his brother gaped at him as if he'd sprouted purple ear hair, _AGAIN_." What? You didn't know?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
Jimmy inclined his head suspiciously. It HAD been a little more than obvious, but then again, this was merry ol' England, not Miami. Things seemed alot more subdued and hush-hush around here than back home at Dunlap." Draco's sexuality..."  
  
Harry seemed just as oblivious as he usually was to things of this matter, and he felt more than a little foolish," What of it?"  
  
"I mean, well, haven't you noticed?"  
  
"Noticed WHAT?" Harry almost shouted, getting impatient and properly annoyed for not noticing anything himself.  
  
"Did you really think he could dress and look that good without any non- hetero help?"  
  
Harry stared blankly, the thought not registering quite yet.  
  
" Am I the only one round here that sees these things?" Jimmy asked no one in particular. Honestly, it was a pain being surrounded by culturally inept dumbasses.  
  
"Obviously, because I have NO idea what you're raving on about."  
  
"Oh Jesus, Harry! Draco's gay! Or at the very least, bi. I mean, come on, it's so painfully apparent I'm surprised none of you have caught on yet."  
  
Harry shook his head dumbly, letting the idea stew in his thoughts. "But...that can't be..."  
  
"Have you seen him with ANY girl the whole time you've known him?"  
  
"Well...." Harry frowned." No. Unless you count Pansy Parkinson, but even at that he told me it wasn't mutual."  
  
Jimmy gave him an 'I told you so' look he was born and bred to wear. _Sheesh. If he's so flustered over **Draco's **preferences, I'd hate to see his reactions to the others I've suspected_.  
  
Harry blanched," Oh dear god, Malfoy's gay!"  
  
"DING DING DING! Welcome Harry, to the real world, how long will you be staying?"  
  
Harry elbowed the boy, still too shocked by the news to do anything more," Well I'll be...Draco Malfoy is gay."  
  
"Not too shocking if you ask me. Have you taken a look at those pureblood women? " Jimmy shuddered at this." Better off humping a horse."  
  
" Tonks is pureblood."  
  
Jimmy arched a graceful ebony brow," No offense, but I wouldn't want to wake up to that. Tonks is alright in her own right, but...no. Way too.. British."  
  
Harry gave a snort of laughter," What?"  
  
"She is. All pale skin and small nose. I've studied her during D.A.D.A. when I've gotten bored. Her skin is like, transparent."  
  
"What of Skye? She's British too, you know."  
  
Jimmy gave a sigh with a dreamy smile," She's like one long expanse of creamy ivory. She's not British, she's-"  
  
"Hell spawn?"  
  
Jimmy glared sarcastically," Nooo. She's...She's....She's European."  
  
Harry laughed outright," And what's the difference?"  
  
"ALOT, thank you very much. Like the fact that she chooses to indulge in that milky complexion and not turn into a friggin' tomatoe by going into the sun."  
  
Harry stirred, indignant," Hey now. _I _go in the sun, and I'm not a tomatoe."  
  
Jimmy glanced over his brother critically, making the boy squirm beneath the gaze," True enough."  
  
Harry swallowed hard, thrown off by the penetrating stare his brother was giving him now," You're British too, you know."  
  
"No," Jimmy said simply." I escaped my tomatoe fate and now approach normalcy in regards to skin tone."  
  
Harry had to give him that. Jimmy had the best tan in probably all of England, result of a lifetime spent under the warm rays of Florida. The hue tended to make his emerald eyes stand out that much more, and his coal hair had subtle highlights of gold and brown. All in all, it was very fetching.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I hate you."  
  
Jimmy laughed at the monotone comment," Why, thank you. I love you too."  
  
"No one said you could get the tan. Its not fair."  
  
Jimmy rolled his eyes," Oh,_ wah_."  
  
In an instant, the two boys found themselves in quite the tussle. Harry grinned mischievously as his cold fingers dove beneath Jimmy's gray cotton shirt, stabbing through the youth's tanned stomach. Jimmy let out a yelp and squirmed beneath his attacker. The two rolled and tumbled, each trying to get the other as close to the edge without going over himself, guts born of pure Gryffindor nerve. Both boys shrieked with laughter, squirming and wrestling in the breezy night air, forgetting for the time being that their best friend was in a coma and that probably by daybreak they'd be hunting down a psychotic dark wizard that would probably take their lives.  
For now, they were two young Gryffindors, rough-housing on the roof of one of the towers.Jimmy gave one last yell before he found himself being flipped over onto his back. Despite his best efforts for freedom, he was indeed pinned, Harry's body bearing down on top of him, his hands above his head, effectively wedged between the shingles and Harry's grasp. Needless to say, the boy didn't take losing very well.  
  
Harry peered down at his defeated brother, gloating at the pout he found. Jimmy was panting heavily, his breath puffing soft clouds onto his brother's lips. And for a moment, Harry forgot where he was. All that seemed to register was the breath so close, his heart thudding in his ears and the chest heaving beneath his own. Jimmy was so close, Harry could make out the minor details that had seemed to elude him until this very moment...The spiky-haired boy was indeed darker than he was, about three shades infact. His eyes, which were staring up at him rather puzzled right then, were reflecting the moonlight, casting dark jade shards into the emerald. He had a slender scar running beneath his left eyebrow.He had a birthmark on his right cheekbone. Full cherry lips parted, cheeks flushed a pink, ebony hair tousled... And in a rush of insanity and pure thirst, Harry leant down and devoured Jimmy's mouth. The taste that broke over his tongue was unlike anything he'd ever encountered. Jimmy was chocolate, and tropical fruit and something else entirely all rolled into one marvelous flavor that sent Harry's senses into disarray. It was wrong. _So_ wrong...But Harry pressed closer.  
  
Jimmy arched into the warm body above him, welcoming the silken-sandpaper tongue into his mouth with a sigh. He knew very well who he was being kissed by, all too aware infact. It was causing a horrible uproar in the bowels of his soul, and he knew their parents must be pitching one HELL of a fit up on Cloud Nine. But...he didn't care. His heart needed this, whatever _this_ was. To finally put to rest the agonizing, silent tension that was slowly driving him to madness. In their own odd and twisted way, Jimmy knew they were simply expressing their love for one another on this most desperate of nights, in the most silent of ways. It'd probably be the last time for an act of ANY kind, so, Jimmy let Harry express it however he saw fit.

Harry's muscles stiffened, lips abruptly halting their motions, as he pulled away to stare horrified down at his brother. Reality was slowly seeping its way into the crevices of his mind, acknowledgement dawning in his green eyes, droning on about how awful he was, how filthy, how impure, how horridly disgusting-  
  
Suddenly, Jimmy's lips crushed over his own and Harry's thoughts ceased. Jimmy flipped them over and pinned his brother just as he had earlier. Reality was savagely ripped to shreds by the onslaught of despair, love and hope. He needed this, just as much as Harry did. Some abstract absolution to whatever turmoil they both endured and were about to endure. _Just for now_, Jimmy thought to himself. _Just to forget_...  
  
So soon, Harry found his pelvis grinding up into that of his twin's, eliciting a deep, familiar groan that sent him back to that March night in their dormitory. And in a frenzy of passion, he rolled them back over, wedging his body between Jimmy's thighs. Jimmy tilted his head back, exposing his slender throat for the eager Gryffindor atop him.  
  
"Promise me you'll always be by my side." Harry murmured amidst his thorough kisses.  
  
"I promise," Jimmy breathed.  
  
"You'll always love me."  
  
"Always."  
  
"You'll never leave me."  
  
"_Never_."  
  
Harry nuzzled into his brother's warm neck, their hips starting to push against each other, emitting delicious friction. Jimmy snaked his hands up Harry's back, slipping beneath the white shirt and glided soft fingertips over smooth skin. Harry sighed into the bronze skin, the soft hairs along the nape of the younger wizard's neck tickling his nose as he ground the burning heat in his lap harder down into the boy. The fabric of Harry's pajama pants were forgivingly thin, though not thin enough to compensate for the thickness of Jimmy's sweatpants, which were beginning to thoroughly irritate him. The stiff bulge boring into his own just didn't seem close enough.  
  
Jimmy gasped as he felt ginger fingers slip beneath the waistband of his sweats and grasp him through his boxer shorts. Memory of a time not unlike this, when a man touched him this way and made him feel things he wasn't supposed to feel. Would Harry leave him too? Would he be alone AGAIN?  
Jimmy's mind blanked as his erection was carefully freed of the confining clothes and pressed against his stomach, immediately joined by his brother's. The younger teen bucked into the warm contact, turning their languid rhythm into a feverish race for release. Harry slipped his fingers through Jimmy's, nipping and licking along the youth's shoulder as he felt an incredible build up well in his lap. Jimmy threw his head back, arching up to bring every spare inch of his body pressing against his twin's as he exploded in a brilliant silent flurry. Harry bit down on the boy's t-shirt, using all his strength not to cry out as he came. Blinded by tiny white stars, the older Gryffindor collapsed atop the trembling frame beneath him. Delicate fingers grazed his cheek as soft lips brushed along his hairline. Harry sighed but reluctantly rolled off. Jimmy immediately protested with a whimper at the new cold.With a quick flick of Harry's wand, their stomachs were cleaned up and clothes straightened out properly. There wasn't the faintest trace that something unforgiveably wicked had just occured.  
  
"We should get back." Harry mumbled to his kin as he pushed himself to his feet.  
  
Jimmy grumbled but followed suit nonetheless, tailing behind his twin as they climbed back into the corridor.  
  
The two boys made their way back to Gryffindor Tower in silence, their bare feet making the only noise as they padded along quietly. Pausing at the portrait hole, the brothers hesitated as the last few seconds of their experience tapered off into the night. With a heavy sigh, Jimmy made to step inside when Harry's hand slid into his, stopping him. The boy pulled him in, depositing a ghost of a kiss onto Jimmy's mouth.  
  
"It'll always be our little secret."  
  
Jimmy grinned with relief, playfully flicking a long lock of ebony out of his brother's beautiful green eyes before whispering back, "Always."


	4. Tearing Down The Merlin Wall

Hullo!

It is I, the One-Who-Your-Parents-Tell-You-To-Avoid! LoL. Here's another quick chappie of Gravity. I gotta admit, THIS is my favorite chapter so far. I enjoyed writing all the banter and jabs at sexuality WAAAAAAAAAAY too much for it to be considered healthy. I'm actually starting to worry my girlfriend fantastically. She's convinced I'm completely gay and am shagging a dozen boys a day behnd her back. AS IF! Like I could handle DOZENS of boys what with her being a god damn nympho! Honestly. I wonder about the female intelligence. :;sighs::  
Now, I find i must apolgize and explain myself for the misleading character coupling in the main story summary. Yes, it ISN'T Harry/Ron, Jimmy/Draco so far, but I'm getting to it. These boys are just too much fun and confused to be left to their true loves. I'm not even sure I like the coupling in the future. I might just change it. I dunno. It all depends on the reviews. So, tell me who you'd like to see Harry and Jimmy end up with. It could even be eachother!!

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Third Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

_A/N 3_ This is the answer to the ever growing "Where the HELL was the Graduation Party??!" And the beginning of Jimmy and Sevy's infamous paternal 'Where The FUCK did that come from?' relationship in the Third Book and a clue into 'The Letter' given to Jimmy from Draco. ::slinks away with a mischevious smirk::

* * *

' Graduate' Third Eye Blind  
  
Summary: At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy, there's an old tradition amoungst the seventh years upon Graduation day. A party to outshine all other parties takes place the night after the ceremony. Each year, it's held in the same abadoned ballroom in the dungeons, and each year, the teaching staff turn a deaf ear to the graduates' celebrations.  
  
Unfortunately for Severus Snape, each year he can never get to sleep due to the rambunctious students. Well, this is the year he finally stands up for his right of a peaceful slumber. What he gets, however, is defintely not a decent night's sleep. And he learns the hard way why the seventh years are left alone. 

( **PG-13** **RATING for mild male-male kissing**)  
  
He groaned and made a show of rolling onto his stomach and burying his head beneath a pillow, though there was certainly no one to see it done. With another mighty groan, Severus Snape pushed himself upright and glowered into the darkness of his bedroom. Pushing back his coal hair angerly, the man threw the covers from his lithe frame and stalked over to his wardrobe. Hastily ripping his bathrobe from its hook on the door, Severus yanked it on and stormed from his room.  
  
This was it. The last straw. Year after year he was forced to endure the ridiculous amount of noise . So what if they had graduated? When he was that age, he CERTAINLY didn't make that much disscord.  
  
"Rotten spoiled wankers, that's what they are, " The older Slytherin hissed as he rounded a corner and was startled by a sudden blast of music echoing from the depths of the dungeons. The man quickly recovered, thankful no one had seen his brief lapse in cool demeanor.  
  
Clutching his robe tighter against his chest, Snape hustled down several spiraling staircases and marched down a seemingly inconspicuous corridor, stopping infront of a portrait containing a drunken man and two whores.  
  
"Open up," the Potions Master growled.  
  
The lush squinted down at him, swaying, " Bit old ta be seventeen, eh?"  
  
"Of course I'm not seventeen you drunken sot. Now, open up -now- before I transfigure your women there into goats."  
  
The old wino sneered drowzily, but the frame swung forward nonetheless. Snape stepped forward and crossed the small hallway noiselessly. As hard as he could, he pounded on the door. Contorting his face into his most impressive scowl, the man waited, then rapped again.  
  
Slowly, the heavy wooden door inched open and a familiar pale face emerged. Gray eyes widened, and in a flash of dissheveled blond, quickly disappeared back behind the door.  
  
Snape rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and sighed while the boy undoubtedly reconfigured himself to look presentable. What happened next, Severus would never be able to explain to himself for years to come. Perhaps it accounted to his insufficient amount of sleep, or maybe he was just losing his touch.  
  
For who reappeared in the doorway was not his favorite blond student, but instead one which he had scorned ever since he could remember. So, the sneer that graced his features was undeniably one of his more powerful. The effect, however, was lost on the blasted Gryffindor.  
  
The brunette grinned cheekily, clearly intoxicated, " What can I do for ya, Professor?"  
  
The silky American accent was unmistakable, " James Potter..." The man allowed himself a few moments to enjoy the glare that graced the Chaser's face at the mention of his full name." Would you be SO kind and inform your classmates to keep it down. Not everyone in this castle desires to be an insomniac tonight."  
  
The boy eyed him critically, then a lazy grin spread across his young face, " Lemme run it by them." With this, the Potter boy turned and shouted to his comrades," Hey! Snape wants us to keep it down!"  
  
The responses that followed were some of the most colorful Severus had ever heard. He wasn't even aware that teenagers knew most of those words.  
  
Jimmy faced the Potions Master once again, cocky grin in place, " Well, I tried."  
  
Snape reached out and grasped the boy's sleeve just as he made to vanish behind the door, " I won't tell you again, Potter. Tone it down or you'll all find yourselves facing weeks of hell."  
  
Jimmy arched his brows in mock surprise, taking a step back, " Why, I do believe that was a threat, Professor."  
  
The man sneered as the Gryffindor smirked.  
  
" Now, what would Dumbledore say if he discovered you were dishing out death threats to students?"  
  
"Technically, you're no longer students."  
  
Jimmy seemed to consider this," Too true. So, TECHNICALLY, we don't have to listen to you."  
  
Snape sneered much more enthusiastically, " You forget, Potter, that some potions are undectable."  
  
At this, the boy completely invaded his personal space and a strange facial expression tugged at his features, " And you forget, SEVERUS, that you're surrounded by inebriated seventh years. "  
  
Indeed, while he wasn't watching a rather large group of teens had congregated behind Potter, undoubtedly awaiting his commands. Even the blasted brother had influential power over his classmates. Its the damned genes, thats what it is. I'm cursed.  
  
"You look much too tense, Sevy. Why don't you come on in and let your hair down, " Jimmy smirked a knowing smirk and stepped aside gracefully.  
  
Faster than he had anticipated, Severus was manhandled inside the door, which shut with a foreboding slam behind him. Roughly shoved onto a couch, the ruffled Potions Master scowled at all around him, " Just you wait until the Headmaster hears about this. You'll all find yourselves dealing with much more than impetence."  
  
Jimmy sauntered over and deposited himself besides the bristling man, " Oh, Sevy, you're no fun."  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
"Sevy."  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"Se-vy."  
  
"STOP!"  
  
A rumble of sniggers ghosted over the gathering youths, most of which Snape observed to unfortunately be Gryffindors. Where were his students? What happened to Slytherin unity? " Just you wait."  
  
"Ooh, good one. Just chill out Severus. Here, have a drink, " The boy offered a seemingly innocent looking bottle of butterbeer." Go on, take it. I won't bite ." A mischievous grin lighted his fetching features. " Yet."  
  
Despite his better judgement, Severus took the bottle. It was one of his more stupider decisions, and it all owed up to that blasted Potter grin. But of course Severus would never really admit that. Consciously, anyway.  
  
So, with one last cautious glance at Jimmy, he tipped back the contents down his throat. It was shockingly silky but burned more than it should have. Choking in surprise from the heat rising from his stomach, Snape turned a scowl on the grinning boy, " What did you put in this?"  
  
"Nuttin', " He replied easily.  
  
Snape eyed the bottle warily, fully aware that he had already ingested more than two-thirds of the drink. Stupid Move Number Two in a whole line of Stupid Moves to come.  
  
The first signs that something was off should've hit him when his head began to swim and Draco Malfoy sat on his other side.  
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"  
  
His vision started to glaze over and he had the distinct impression that the Pink Lady was sitting on his tongue.  
  
" He needs to loosen up, if only for one night."  
  
"Yeah, but Jim..."  
  
"It'll be alright, Harry. Trust me."  
  
Something in Severus made him want to growl at the name, but the sound distorted on the way to his throat and came out as a burp.  
  
"Trusting you is always a ferocious battle."  
  
Snape vaguely felt someone reach across him.  
  
"Ow! Hey, that hurt you git!"  
  
"It's what you get, dear Dragon. Now, help me get his bathrobe off."  
  
"What for!"  
  
Snape winced at the shrill exclamation.  
  
"He looks like a friggin' eggplant. Plus the color's making me naseous. Now, help me."  
  
Severus strained to clear his vision, but an annoying fog persisted in lingering right in the center of his gaze. He half-heartedly swatted at the fog, miffed that it sniggered back at him.  
  
"He looking alright to you?"  
  
" He looks fine, just smashed."  
  
"Merlin. How much did you give him?"  
  
"Not much."  
  
"Jimmy-"  
  
"Oh, cool your jets, Ron. I only gave him two shots of Fire Whiskey and some vodka."  
  
"How come he's drooling like that?"  
  
" Seems our Sevy here doesn't know how to hold his alcohol."  
  
"I dunno, Jim. He's going to be pretty angry when he sobers up."  
  
"Which is why, darling brother, we're going to give him an excuse to never want to mention this night again."  
  
"Oh Merlin, what do you have planned?"  
  
"He's smiling. Dear god, he's smiling."  
  
"That's never a good sign, now is it?"  
  
"Honestly, you three sound like old nagging wives. "  
  
Snape grumbled drowzily and found the room starting to tilt. In his irritation, he tried to compensate.  
  
"Whoa now, shouldn't we talk first?"  
  
"Oh, thats just gross."  
  
"My my Sevy, I never knew you to be the affectionate type."  
  
"Would you stop that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop hitting on my Head of House."  
  
"I am NOT hitting on him. He's hitting on ME."  
  
Snape shifted, unconsciously bringing his body practically ontop of something rather warm, soft but pleasantly firm.  
  
"SEE! He wants to jump my bones. I'm the victim here."  
  
"Victim my arse, its your fault he's plowed in the first place."  
  
"Merely speculation, blondie."  
  
"So, he's pretty much gone, right?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Well.... let's see what we can get out of him."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Haven't you ever wondered why he hates you so much, Harry?"  
  
Snape gave a low, noncommital grunt as his hands fumbled with the bottle in his hands. A satisfied sigh escaped him as the burning liquid slinked over his tongue. Almost as quickly, another bottle was thrusted into his hands to be quickly consumed.  
  
"He sure likes his liquor."  
  
"So, how would we get him to talk?"  
  
"I simply came up with the suggestion. Plotting and scheming are Jimmy's department."  
  
"Geez Ron, you make it sound like I'm just some mischievous little snot who has nothing better to do than to contrive."  
  
Severus gave a snort," Got the snot part right."  
  
"Hey now, " Jimmy said with a frown as the others chuckled heartily at his expense. " Don't be obnoxious or anything. Really, don't hold back."  
  
"Ok, " Snape answered immediately, twisting his body in the general direction of the deep voice to his left. " I find you extremely snotty, not to mention cocky."  
  
Another round of sniggers.  
  
"I am not, " Jimmy retorted indignantly.  
  
" You remind me of a male version of Granger." The Potions Master went on, waving his hand and bottle animatedly in emphasis of his mockery. " ' Ooh! Ooh! Professor Snape! Professor Snape! I know it! I know the answer!'"  
  
"I do NOT sound like that. First off, I don't go wiggling my fingers like I'm drying a manicure, and second I have a MUCH deeper and sexier voice than that."  
  
"Not sexier than Harry Potter's, I'll tell you that, " The coal-haired man slurred round the bottle lip.  
  
A rather collective gasp fluttered over the group. Looks were exchanged. A manic grin was formed.  
  
"Harry Potter's voice is sexy, is it?"  
  
Harry groaned, "Jimmy, please don't-"  
  
"Let him answer." Ron blurted eagerly.  
  
Draco leaned forward eagerly, "So, Snape. You think Harry's voice is deep and ...sexy?"  
  
The man flicked his hand impatiently," Of course, of course."  
  
"And you pay attention to his voice alot, do you?"  
  
" Oh god, I don't wanna be hearing this..."  
  
"Shush, Harry."  
  
"Well, Sevy?"  
  
The nickname was growing on him, " Naturally."  
  
A pause as the response was digested.  
  
"What else do you notice about Harry?"  
  
"Malfoy, stop encouraging him."  
  
" I want to know."  
  
"We all do!" A considerable crowd exclaimed.  
  
Clearly Potter was outnumbered, Snape regarded amusedly. Serves him right, the anal sod. The nice amount of alcohol in his system was rendering Severus Snape all but equal to some colorful shrubbery.  
  
"Now, how 'bout it? What else do you notice about Harry?"  
  
"Hmm, " Snape considered through the thick blanket shrouding his mind. " I notice he has green eyes." He pointed this out by grabbing Jimmy's face and angling it roughly towards the others. Obviously he was beyond realizing he was manhandling the wrong Potter.  
  
"Ow! Watch the pores, will ya."  
  
"See? Green. Looks just like his father, Harry does." Snape said and patted down the boy's laxen locks.  
  
" I didn't know James had green eyes, Harry."  
  
"He didn't, my mum did."  
  
"James... " The Head of Slytherin mumbled, preoccupied with gazing longingly at the torment from his past sitting in physical form besides him. " James' spirit lies within his son..."  
  
The boy, though he didn't look it, was thoroughly flustered and more than a bit uncomfortable. Severus shifted his hand, languidly running his fingers through cool raven strands like he had always yearned to. He couldn't hold back the shiver.  
  
"O-ok, Jim.. You had your fun. Lets get him back to his bed before he says anything more he'll regret."  
  
"Are you kidding, Harry! Do you realize the magnitude of blackmail and sweet SWEET revenge we have in our hands here? And you just want to send him off to beddy-bye?"  
  
"Its not worth it, Ron. He's already said more than I ever needed to know. I'm going to have nightmares for years because of this."  
  
"Plus the fact that he's getting a TAD bit friendly with your brother, there."  
  
Harry growled, "Oi! Get your hands off him!"  
  
Severus felt himself being torn from the brilliant reincarnation of James Potter, " No! Stop it! James, tell your croonies to geroff!"  
  
"_Croonies_!"  
  
Ron scowled quite impressively, "Why I ought to-"  
  
"Honestly, Potter, where did you pick up Black and Pettigrew from anyway? A bog?" Snape grumbled, absentmindedly rubbing at the spots where the boys had grabbed him.  
  
"Ex-CUSE me? Who the bloody hell are Black and Pettigrew?" Draco asked through a bewildered expression.  
  
"Oh dear lord..."  
  
"What is it Harry?"  
  
"He thinks me and Ron are Snuffles and Wormtail."  
  
"Like bloody HELL I'm some backstabbing gutter rat!"  
  
"Atleast Lupin has manners," Snape hissed haughtily, snatching another bottle right out of some girl's hands. " And half a brain. I mean REALLY, they don't even know who they are. What company you keep, Potter."  
  
Everyone was thoroughly confused, but excitedly curious. Nothing like a drunken intrigue to spice up an already righteous party. Especially if it involved a certain Potions Master and a very delicious Potter.  
  
" Ok, my head hurts, I want to go now."  
  
"If you left everytime things got to be a bit too much for your head to handle, Weasley, you'd be a permanent fixture in your dormitory."  
  
"_Right here_, Ferret."  
  
"Children, can this wait? Right now we have a crisis on our hands."  
  
"OUR hands? This was all your idea to begin with, Jimmy."  
  
" Oh, don't go pulling that one on me. You all wanted a hand in this as much as I did, so don't make it out to be all my responsibility."  
  
" Jimmy, I got one word for you."  
  
"And what, darling Draco, would that be?"  
  
"Scapegoat."  
  
Severus had quite a struggle within himself just then. It was more than a little irritating to see his James all over Remus Lupin, but then again, that infuriating goody-goody was ALWAYS all over his best mates. Would the brunette mind if he stepped in? He DID seem a bit more angry than usual. "Sweetie, you really shouldn't maul your friends like that. People might start to say things."  
  
"Ok, did he just call me sweetie?"  
  
"I believe so, sweetie."  
  
"Draco, if you want to be able to masterbate again, I suggest you shut the hell up."  
  
"Lovely mental image, Jimmy."  
  
" Now, if you don't mind Lupin, would you PLEASE disentangle yourself from Jamie, " Severus asked almost amicably.  
  
"Jamie?"  
  
"Don't even THINK about it, Draco."  
  
"I was thinking nothing..."  
  
"Don't give me that smirk."  
  
"What smirk?"  
  
"THAT smirk!"  
  
"What ever are you going on about, Potter?"  
  
"Don't gimme that innocent, doe-eye crap. I know what you were thinking, MALFOY. And you can just forget it."  
  
Severus picked his cuticles, seriously considering to give Fermis Huntkin an emergency visit. His nails looked HORRID!  
  
"**Jamie**"  
  
"AARRRGG!!!"  
  
" Are you done playing, Jamie? I'm tired and I wanna get my birthday present before I pass out."  
  
"Do I even want to know?" Harry said uneasily.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Black. You're just pissy cause Jamie chose ME over YOU."  
  
"Ok, thats more about my Head of House's love life than I ever needed to know, " Draco commented absently.  
  
"Harry, you ok, mate? You're not looking so good."  
  
" I'm gonna be sick, I just know it..."  
  
"Maybe we should just go, babe. Black isn't taking this too well, " Snape hummed in the ear of a considerably stunned Jimmy.  
  
" Um...uhh..I, er...well..I mean.."  
  
"So, what did you get me? I hope its tan, brunette and wearing only a smile."  
  
" I'm gonna-"  
  
"Make way! He's going to blow!"  
  
Severus trailed a hand up sinfully soft skin, and it didn't seem to phase him that the flesh beneath his fingertips was MUCH too tan to belong to the appropriate Potter. " C'mon, Jamie. Let's see what all those fangirls of yours are squealing about."  
  
"_EEP_!"  
  
"Well, that was attractive."  
  
"Shut up Draco, and help me get him off me."  
  
"Had enough, Potter? Plan go a BIT out of your control?"  
  
"I'm serious! Help me! He's going to rape me!"  
  
"Would be exactly what you deserve."  
  
"I didn't ask for -THIS- you vengeful prick!"  
  
" I beg to differ."  
  
"Why you fucking backstabbing bastard."  
  
"OOh, thats it, talk dirty baby. Uhhhh I LOVE it! " Snape moaned, straddling James' lap and licking sensual circles along the Seeker's slender throat.  
  
"Seems you're all Galleons and pixie dust here, Potter. I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone."  
  
"Yes, run along Lupin." The coal-haired Slytherin cooed against his lover's collarbone, snaking a sly hand up the brunette's shirt.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Problem, Potter?"  
  
"Get him off me NOW and I promise I'll leave you with one testicle, you can even choose which one."  
  
"My my, quite testy when we're hot and bothered, aren't we?"  
  
"Mmmm, I can take care of that Jamie babe," Severus murmured, quickly relieving his dreamboy of his bothersome red t-shirt.  
  
"Cut it out! Snape, get the hell off!"  
  
"Come now, James. I know you've wanted me as long as I've wanted you." Severus growled as he hastily ripped the teen's belt off. " No need to be shy, I've seen you naked enough in my fantasies."  
  
"Quit it, you fuckhead!"  
  
"Ok, enough is enough. Get OFF him."  
  
Severus gave a threatening death glare at the annoying Lupin, knocking him to the ground with hardly any effort at all. This struck him as odd. Lupin may be a gentle heart, but he was certainly not short of physical strength. Nor was James for that matter....  
  
"Get OFF, Snape! I'm five seconds away from blasting you a new one!"  
  
Severus frowned. Something was wrong. Defintely wrong. Most inexplicably wrong. The fog in his head was waivering, leaving him confused and distorted. There was something incredibly wrong.  
  
So, Snape crashed his lips down roughly onto James', muffling the boy's protests with his aggressive tongue.  
  
"_Ennervate_!"  
  
The fog was gone in almost an instant, causing his head to spin and disorient him. The first thing he noticed was his lips were pressed against something warm and incredibly sweet. Opening his eyes, however, was a big mistake. For pinned beneath his pajama clad body, was one Jimmy Potter. Severus leapt away, tumbling to the ground in his haste.  
  
Jimmy wiped his mouth and couldn't help but grin, " Well now, wasn't that educational."  
  
"Wendelin's wand, Jimmy. That was cutting it pretty close," Draco chastened, stowing away his ebony wand in the pocket of his trousers.  
  
"Yeah yeah, but we got all the revenge we could ever need."  
  
"Almost at the expense of your virtue."  
  
"I didn't realize my virtue was such a concern of yours."  
  
"It isn't. I mean. It is. What I meant to say was-..." The blond wizard took a few moments to collect himself ." Blast it all, Jimmy. You could've very well shagged the Potions Professor infront of our entire class."  
  
Jimmy eyed his friend skeptically. Apparently, the chivalrious Gryffindor side of him won out though for he turned from the ruffled Slytherin towards the Professor in question. "Snape, you coherent?"  
  
Severus frowned, the world still awkwardly fuzzy and his lips pleasantly tingly, " Of course I'm coherent you stupid sod."  
  
"And we're back to insults. Seriously, what am I supposed to do here? Ram Veritaserum down your throat?"  
  
" I would like to see you try."  
  
Jimmy narrowed his emerald eyes, making Severus shiver, " Don't tempt me."  
  
" Can we get back to the task at hand here?" Draco interrupted, shifting his weight onto one hip and crossing his slender arms in an intimidating and extremely fetching way as only a Malfoy can.  
  
" Yeah yeah, " Jimmy waved his comment away, then stared down the raven- locked man on the ground. " Now, I don't need to inform you what a predicament you're in, now do I?"  
  
It was more of a statement than a question really, and Severus found himself quite taken aback by the Gryffindor's confidence and cool cruelty. He would've made an excellent Slytherin. " I suppose not."  
  
"The question is, what are you willing to do to keep it a secret?" The boy said quietly, though not enough to keep the eavesdropping group around them from hearing.  
  
Severus knew he was at a loss. If he protested, his secret adoration of James Potter Sr. would be all over the school in a matter of minutes, not to mention the brief romp with his son. If the man agreed, he'd be in living hell. Blackmail under the critical eye of a Potter wasn't very appealing. But what choice did he really have?" Anything."  
  
"Anything? Hmm, imagine the possibilities." Jimmy smirked, glancing at his blond counterpart.  
  
" I'd hate to think YOU had anything to do with this, Mr. Malfoy." Snape sneered, his embarrassment firing the anger.  
  
" One last hurrah, Professor. Jimmy can be quite convincing when he wants to be, " Draco answered, lazily tossing his silvery blond hair away from his bored but scrutinizing eyes.

The humiliation was too much, and the shame was even more. Never had anyone gotten the best of a Snape. Least of all some halfblood. Fueled by his shame, Snape icily shot back. "I suppose anyone can be convincing if their pants are round their ankles."

The two boys stirred. But for the most part, each was equally undisturbed by the accusation. Infact, Snape very well thought he saw Jimmy sneak Malfoy a cocky smirk to which Draco blushed, if only fractionally.  
  
This little exchange only served to further depress him. His downfall into the pit of mortification conceived by the loathsome Potter was defintely NOT sitting well with him. It didn't help that the entire thing had had a snickering audience. Severus' stomach churned as he dropped his head onto the metaphorical chopping block. " What is it that you want, Potter?"  
  
Jimmy seemed to consider this thoroughly, tilting his head and lifting his clever green eyes to the ceiling. " Hmmm, I suppose I want what any good Gryffindor would want."  
  
Severus waited painfully long moments, imagining the glittering axe hovering inches above his neck. Just a bit longer and it will all be over. He could only hope for one quick, clean stroke.  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
Jimmy looked at him with a warm smile on his face, " For the Potions Master to loosen up for one night."  
  
The man blinked, trying not to show his shock as Malfoy helped him to his feet. Naturally, he failed. " W-wha...who...Eh?"  
  
"Don't worry, Snape. " At this, the brunette leaned in, gifting said man with a lungful of subtle cologne and a waft of chocolate. "Your secret is safe with me and I'll make sure everyone else thinks it was all just alcoholic stupor."  
  
Severus blinked again and grunted, for lack of a better response.  
  
Jimmy grinned and patted him heartily on the shoulder, guiding him out the door. The youths in their wake were still thoroughly tickled, and Jimmy shot them half-assed reprimanding looks now and again. If the boy was flustered or even in the littlest bit awkward, he made no sign of it as he pushed Severus out the portrait hole.  
  
" Hope you enjoyed yourself."  
  
The Head of House searched for words, but found none. There was just nothing he could say to the youngest Potter who discovered the most personal aspect of his life. " Yes."  
  
The boy looked at him amusedly, then took a step forward. Severus made to leap back, but fought the urge and merely flinched. Much to his well-hid relief, for Jimmy planted the softest, most gentle kiss on his cheek.  
  
" Just so you know, you're a pretty good kisser. My Dad never knew what he was missing, " And with that, Snape was left flabbergasted and alone in the poorly lite hallway.  
  
His secret was out. The one he hid with amazing relish and frantic obsession. It was out and to the last person he ever imagined; Potter's son. But he didn't mind. It was as if an incredible burden was lifted from his shoulders and he could walk properly for the first time in decades.  
  
Jimmy Potter had unknowingly ( though Severus seriously doubted the boy did all this by accident. He was about as clever as his hair was wild) shattered the defensive bubble Snape had erected around himself.  
  
And it felt wonderful.  
  
Yes, he had loved James Potter, with every fiber in his being. And yes, he had his heart broken, ensuing in ages of bitter rivalry with Potter and his relations. But yes, he was ok now. Jimmy allowed Snape to share his enigma, and didn't even ridicule him for it. That Potter never ceased to amaze him.  
  
So, the Potions Master walked back to his chambers with a bit of a bounce in his step. One wall down, a million more to go, but he knew he wouldn't be alone in the battle. He had James' son as an ally and confidant.  
  
Severus Snape slept very soundly that night and for every Graduation Night in the years to come.


	5. Always More Than A Friend

Hullo!

No big speal here, just chapter. And a BIG shout out to Heather, Geri and Breanna, my ever doting fangirls from class. ::waves like a huge idiot:: Also, I'd like to address a review (the ONLY one I might add ::glares::) that seems to make perfect sense. I mentioned it in the chapter prior, but I guess I'll say it again. i KNOW this was categorized as a harry/ron story, and so far, NO harry/ron. I'm getting to it people, its called Suspense. But for all the harry/ron fans out there, THIS is the chapter you've been waiting for. Nothing too extreme in regards to lemony flavour, but it does have a citrusy taste that'll quench your thirst. So read, and try not to kill me at all the Ron/Harry/Jimmy drama.

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Third Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

* * *

(**RATED PG-13** for suggestive dialogue, guy-guy kissing and implied lemon) 

_'Feelin The Same Way ' Norah Jones_

_  
_  
Pt.1 of The Weasley Episodes  
  
The Pitch: The Weasleys get treated to a lovely summer vacation in New Guinea, compliments of Fred and George. The ever giving family they are, they ask Harry and Jimmy to join them. Sunshine, sea and skin can do wonders to a person's morale.  
  
Summary: Ronald Weasley is the youngest of the Weasley boys. Being as such, growing up tended to be a difficult thing, having 5 brothers to compete with. Even his friendship with Harry Potter put him as second man. But one thing they don't know, is the one thing that sets Ron apart from his siblings...And with the month-long vacation, Ron's secret becomes ever the more obvious to a certain observant brunette.

* * *

Ron Weasley loved early mornings. Mind you, he could complain with the best of them when forced to rise at 7' O Clock when he was back at Hogwarts. But no, it wasn't those mornings he enjoyed so much. Those monotonous wakings that never changed in the castle. No. It was the special mornings that called for very early getting up. Like this morning.  
  
The sun had barely stretched her rays across the hillsides over Ottery St. Catchpole when all of the Weasleys had to rouse. Fred and George had given the family a present, both for Ron's graduation and for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's anniversary. They had booked a vacation house on the coast of New Guinea for a full month. At first, Ron was thrilled. He loved going away for holidays, but then a horrible fact hit him. His best friend Harry and his brother, Jimmy, would still be stuck at Grimmauld Place while he went off and had wonderful adventures. Unable to shake the guilt, he approached Fred and George and asked if the brunettes could come along. Both redheads seemed enamored with the suggestion and immediately set out to personally invite them. Needless to say, the Potter twins hastily accepted.  
  
This now left Ron lying in his bed this morning, listening to the sounds of soft snoring floating up from the floor. He knew he'd have to get up pretty soon, his mother was bound to be up any second now.  
  
And like clockwork, Mrs. Weasley quietly crept into the bedroom, and started to make her way to each bed, softly shaking the occupant. Ron was last to be shooken awake and got up just as groggily as the rest.  
  
A few minutes later found Ron sitting at the kitchen table, eyeing his plate with a distant gaze. He knew his mum was piling eggs and kippers on it, but it just couldn't register. Fork, hand...mouth?  
  
Just then, the young redhead's eyes were magnetically pulled to the staircase. Slowly trudging down in a state of dishevel, were Harry and Jimmy. Their usual unruly mop of raven hair was even more chaotic since it seemed they were too sleepy to run a comb through it. The two plopped down opposite Ron in eerie unison, and slumped in exhaustion.  
  
Jimmy reached up to idly shake out his hair as Harry stifled a huge yawn, causing his glasses to slip down his nose. Ron thought they both looked adorable.  
  
"So, the portkey'll be up-up-up on Stoatshead Hill." George said through a yawn.  
  
"At 5 O'clock," Fred added on.  
  
"Why did we need to get up so early for?" Ginny asked with a hint of a whine. She never was a morning person.  
  
"Because of the time difference," Percy replied as he took a seat on the other side of Harry.  
  
"I don't see why we ALL have to use a Portkey to get there," Charlie grumbled and tucked in to his bacon and eggs.  
  
"Well, unless you have buns of steel to endure the broom ride or are the most fabulous Apparationist, its the only other way," Bill responded as he bit into his toast.  
  
His brothers continued to banter, but Ron's attention seemed to be entirely on his friends across from him. They seemed zoned out and not even aware that the world was revolving round them. Ron choked down a snigger as Harry's head drooped down onto Jimmy's shoulder. Any longer and he was sure the two would drift off to sleep into their eggs. Maybe they shouldn't have stayed up so late last night playing a mock game of Quidditch.  
  
"Harry, dear, wake up. It's almost time to leave, " Mrs. Weasley cooed as she gently touched Harry's shoulder.  
  
Ron couldn't help the scowl that formed on his face as Harry's head jerked upright, his green eyes momentarily holding alertness. Secretly, he would've liked to watch Harry doze again, it had been one of his favorite night-time activites back at Hogwarts when he couldn't sleep.  
  
Bugger the old woman.  
  
"Alright there, Ron?" Bill asked as he wiped the corners of his mouth.  
  
Ron shrugged a bit biting into his toast, silently thanking his dad as he rose from the table and declared," Alright troops, time to go."  
  
The nine Weasleys and the two Potters gathered their luggage and trekked out the door into the greying sky. Ron somehow managed to decrease his stride just enough so the brothers could keep up with him amidst their continuous string of yawns, incoherent grumbling and an endearing morning language only twins could decipher to eachother. Somewhere along the way Jimmy had all but nodded off, veering right into Ron's shoulder and causing the redhead to spasm with surprise and trip over a tree root. Needless to say, he was rather red by the time they finally made it to the top of the hill.  
  
"Aha! With time to spare, " Mr. Weasley stated after checking his wrist watch.  
  
"How much longer?" Bill inquired stepping up to his father.  
  
"More importantly, do we have time for a quick nap?" Jimmy added on as Harry yawned quite loudly behind his hand.  
  
"Hmm, well, I'd say not boys. We have about seven minutes," The eldest Weasley replied.  
  
" So, a very VERY quick nap," Jimmy said to his twin. The brothers smiled at eachother and promptly sat down, back-to-back. Their heads tilted back and resting on the other's shoulder, within seconds they were fast asleep.  
  
"Goodness, " Ginny said with a smile.  
  
"Ron, I thought I told you three to go to bed early last night, " Scolded Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Ron blushed, " We meant to..."  
  
"Ronald Weasley! " Molly exclaimed, but quickly lowered her voice to a harsh whisper." How late were you up?"  
  
Depends on what kind of 'up' you mean. Ron quickly scowled at his vulgar inner voice." Well..not THAT late." He tried lamely.  
  
"HOW late?"  
  
"sumtmafetoo."  
  
" Ron," The older woman warned.  
  
"Sometime after two, " The redhead repeated a bit louder, though considerably weaker.  
  
"Ron, I can't BELIEVE yo-"  
  
"Ah, looks like it's time to go! " Arthur shouted over the oncoming lecture. He quickly scooped up the old pizza box and held it out for the eager Weasleys.  
  
Ron was only too grateful to have something to distract his mother from, but he knew eventually the woman would corner him and deal out the scolding. But for now, he was happy to be leaving The Burrow behind, in favor of a shore-front beach house. Not to mention the wonderful companionship of two very hot brunettes. 

()()  
  
" UNbelievable."  
  
"Oh, it's not that bad."  
  
"Not that bad? Not that BAD? How can you say that?"  
  
"Easy. I just open my mouth and intelligent noises come out. Try it sometime."  
  
Snigger.  
  
"Shut up, Harry. It's not funny."  
  
"Oh, don't go getting mad at him, Fred. It's your own fault you didn't check the weather listings."  
  
"I wasn't supposed to, Ronnekins, that was George's job."  
  
"No it wasn't."  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
"NO, it wasn't."  
  
"YES, it was."  
  
"NO"  
  
"YES"  
  
"NOOO"  
  
"YEEEES"  
  
"OK! Enough already. Good god, children."  
  
Everyone stopped and turned to stare openly at Ginny who had just walked in on their bickering.  
  
" We're here, might as well make the best of it, " Ginny said then left the three Weasley boys and two Potters in the breakfast nook.  
  
"She's right, yanno," Jimmy spoke up, seeing as nobody was going to anytime soon.  
  
" Suck up," Fred snipped, crossing his arms.  
  
Jimmy scowled at the redhead and followed Ginny outside onto the veranda. The reason everyone seemed a bit cross at the Weasley twins was the simple result of the weather. Even though it was summer in New Guinea, the atmosphere was no different than England. A small storm had blown in from the south, coating the sky a murky grey with moist breezes.  
  
But this didn't seem to stop Jimmy and Ginny, however, who were at the moment stripping down to their swimswuits and plunging bravely into the ocean. Everyone gathered on the cool sand, watching the teenagers scream at the cold but enthusastically swim anyways.  
  
" They're bloody insane," Ron muttered, digging his hands in his trouser pockets.  
  
" Oh, come on, Ron, " Harry said with a smile and dragged the redhead towards the water's edge.  
  
"Noooo. Harry, **no**. That water must be _freezing_."  
  
Harry shot him an irresistable grin and gave him a playful shove. Well, it was probably MEANT to be a playful shove. But with Ron rendered stupified with gellatin legs, the push was more than enough to send the youth tumbling into the upcoming wave.  
  
Ron's uvula could be seen from the beach as both his eyes and jaw opened wide. His was knee deep in frigid ocean water, and he wasn't too happy about it. Not only was the water stinging his freckled skin, but his brand new trainers were utterly ruined. It'd probably take several good drying spells before they'd be wearable again, and even then they'd always squeak.  
  
Ron shot the brunette culprit an icy stare to marvel the waves lapping round his calves. " Oh_ Harry_," Ron called in a high, syrupy voice.  
  
The boy's face fell slightly, his resolve seeming to falter at the manic look in his friend's eye. " Now, Ron, you know it was just an accident."  
  
This statement was lost on the wizard as he tore through the two feet standing between him and his victim. In one quick motion, Ron had Harry grasped round his trim waist and hauled him straight into the water. Harry was kicking and yelling, putting up quite a fight for such a slender looking chap. Ron secretly stored this moment away for future extractions during 'Ron-Time'. A hefty toss later and Harry was sputtering as he surfaced from the cool ocean waves, drenched from head to foot.  
  
The brunette shot him a dirty look. Ron merely grinned cheekily. "You look good wet, mate."  
  
The rest of the afternoon was spent avoiding being pummeled by Harry.

()()  
  
As far as weeks went, this one had to be the most worst and yet the best. On one hand, Ron had an absolutely fabulous time spending each day either on the beach or exploring the impressive New Guinea local life. On the other, however, hiding his admiration whenever Harry or Jimmy derobed or trying not to purposely touch either of them was growing increasingly difficult. It never occured to him to just not look or touch. That was simply out of the question. Any longer holding in all of his pent up frustration would result in physical combustion.  
  
Ever seen an old bullfrog fed Filibuster's Everlasting Fireworks? Yeah, it was something like that.  
  
Ron just wasn't capable of such self-control. He was a Gryffindor, afterall. He was brave and true and incredibly fool-hardy. Gryffindors WERE infamous for the Act Now, Think Later regime after all. Ron was just a victim of circumstance. Yeah, that sounded good.  
  
A result of coming from a big family and being in the company of the Boy- Who-Lived for just a TAD too long. Hell, Hermione went through being star- struck with Harry, why not him as well?  
  
It was just inevitable. Exactly. Inevitable. That was it.  
  
'Whatever helps you sleep at night, mate.'  
  
"Alright there, Ron?"  
  
Ron blinked out of his reverie, looking up from the hole he had dug in the sand to squint up at a concerned Jimmy.  
  
"You plan on staying with us this time?"  
  
Did he know? Ron asked himself. He was looking a BIT too cheeky for someone asking a simple question. How would he find out? Would he tell anyone? Oh BLAST Bill for suggesting I keep that infernal diary.  
  
Ok, just play it smooth, Ron. Keep your cool and he won't suspect a thing." I'm fine."  
  
Jimmy arched his brow, peering skeptically at the redhead. Ron could feel heat quickly congregating on the tips of his ears and spreading across his cheeks. " You're fine."  
  
It seemed more of a statement laced with some underlying meaning rather than a question. Oooh, he was good. " Yes, of course."  
  
Jimmy seemed to consider him, then obviously came to a conclusion. In an instant he dropped to his knees inbetween Ron's spread legs and leaned forward, his hands on either side of the redhead's hips. The Weasley felt his breath catch in his throat as cool droplets of water trickled from the boy's ebony locks and splattered on Ron's sun-warmed skin.  
  
"I don't know what is up with you exactly, but I KNOW there's something. You might as well fess up now. I'll figure it out sooner or later."  
  
Ron stirred uncomfortably beneath the wizard's powerful gaze, getting pleasureable goosebumps up and down his flesh. Damn those hormones. Jimmy seemed to notice the redhead ruffle, and leaned in closer breaking past the 'Friend Zone' right into the 'Snogging Distance Zone'. Ron gulped.  
  
"So, how are we gonna do this?"  
  
Ron couldn't help but groan to himself at the double meaning comment. He shook off the ripples of excitement, and forced himself to calm down. This was JIMMY. Jimmy. Jimmy. Jimmy. Jimmy was wickedly clever, almost more so than Hermione. He already pinned Severus Snape, it wouldn't be long before the Potter tuned his skills onto Ron himself. Unconsciously, his eyes darted to where Harry chatted lively with Charlie, Bill and Percy.  
  
Jimmy put two and two together instantly.  
  
"_AHA_!"  
  
As fast as he could, Ron silenced the youth with his hand and hauled the boy to his feet and inside, ignoring the puzzled expressions on his father and sister's faces as they passed them. It took a considerable amount of strength to maneuver the brunette into the bathroom. Harry was much lighter, probably a good twenty pounds even. He had been alot easier to manhandle, unlike his twin who seemed to equal Ron in strength. And this was factoring in Jimmy didn't struggle all that much.  
  
Hastily, Ron shoved the teen into the large bathroom and locked the door behind him. Jimmy wasted no time and pointed a dramatic finger at him.  
  
"_AHA_!"  
  
Ron braced himself for it, gripping the doorknob for extra balance.  
  
"I knew it! I just KNEW it!" Jimmy exclaimed, straightening himself up from the rather rude shove. He brushed invisible specks of filth from his bronze shoulders and looked very smug indeed. " You had the same signs, I'm actually ashamed of myself for not picking up on them earlier."  
  
Ron's brown gaze was locked on the immaculate white tiles, " Y- you're...you're not gonna tell him, are you?"  
  
Jimmy seemed perplexed at first, " Who? Oh, you mean Harry? Course not. What do you take me for? Some Slytherin, no offense to Draco or anything."  
  
How could he be so damn nonchalant about it all? " How can you be so damn nonchalant about this all?"  
  
" I know the Potter clan, it's just natural that everyone alive would be attracted to us. I mean, just look at Snape and my dad. And the poor sap STILL hasn't gotten over it."  
  
" It's different with Harry...."  
  
Jimmy had the grace to look abashed, and cocked his head at Ron, " You really care about him, don't you?"  
  
Ron's solemn nod and diverted gaze was all the answer he really needed.  
  
" Well, of COURSE you'd love him to pieces. You guys have been friends for, what, eight years now?" Jimmy offered a smile. " Yanno, they say the best relationships start with friendship."  
  
Ron dared to hope, " You think?"  
  
The brunette took this as enough of an invitation as he was gonna get. He strode over to the boy, patting his arm, " Sure."  
  
"But...I doubt that would apply to me. Maybe it worked for Hermione, but...not me."  
  
Jimmy gave him a mighty whack upside the head.  
  
"OUCH! What the bloody 'ell!"  
  
"We're gonna have to work on your self-confidence. Its an annoying trait, poor Harry would shoot himself the first day."  
  
Ron tried to scowl, but it just wasn't worth it. The pain wasn't too terrible and Jimmy was looking so sincere. Perhaps he was right....There WAS that rumour back in Hogwarts about Harry and some boy on the roof of the Astronomy Tower.  
  
For years to come, Ron would always question why he did what he did next. He eventually attributed it to emotional unstability or the classic 'wounded soldier falling in love with the nurse'. But whatever the case, it would royally mess with his head for the following week.  
  
Ron blinked as he forced himself back several steps. Jimmy's cheeks pinked as he sputtered through his fluster. Then he was gone.  
  
Ron gingerly touched his lips, still feeling them tingle wonderfully. He pressed them together and he tasted Jimmy.

()()  
  
It was silently agreed that the kiss never happened. But try telling that to Ron's raging hormones. Sometimes his subconscious just couldn't conjure up enough imagination on its own, so it used that kiss as a reference to MANY other -fantasies-. He prefered not to talk about them.  
  
So, this particularlly humid afternoon found the copper-haired boy fending off the sun with his best mate on the beach. It was always nice to just enjoy Harry's company, no words, no expectations, no hidden secrets begging to be unleashed. Just him and Harry, best friends, like it was always meant to be.  
  
Ron sighed.  
  
"Bloody hot, isn't it?"  
  
Ron grunted.  
  
"Uhh, I'm going to die."  
  
"Right behind you."  
  
"Think its possible to just shrivel up and die?"  
  
" Feels like we're about to find out."  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"It's REALLY hot."  
  
Ron chuckled a bit and lowered his arm to see Harry hiding beneath a very large towel. The great Boy-Who-Lived, whining about the weather. Ron could easily gobble up this moment as something ONLY he, as best friend, would get to experience. " Having fun under there?"  
  
" I'm going to be one great leathery snake by the end of the summer."  
  
"How do you figure?"  
  
"Thats what sunburns turn into. And I'm already red."  
  
Ron was shown the said sunburn, which happened to be on the boy's toned arms. "You're right, you're a tomatoe.  
  
" You're one to talk. It looks like you just got attacked by red paint."  
  
Ron scowled.  
  
" Hey you nutters! I come bearing gifts from the elders!" Jimmy called as he made his way down the beach to the friends' spot beneath a huge palmtree. He held out his offering of two rainbow colored popsicles.  
  
Ron quickly snatched the treat from Jimmy's hand, unable to hold back the moan that escaped him as the icy dessert met his scorching mouth.  
  
Jimmy arched his brows, " Contain your orgasm."  
  
Ron mumbled something round the popsicle, which strangely sounded like 'Go suck yourself.'  
  
Harry snickered as Jimmy grumbled his indignation and stormed off. His mistake was turning to Ron for his reaction. The redhead was simply engrossed, to say the least.The boy was lavishing the treat as if his life depended on it.  
  
Ron sighed, closing his eyes to fully enjoy the coolness on his tongue. The heat of the day had already melted down most of the ice pop, so Ron was doing his best with licking up the excess. It was in vain, however, since streams of bright red, orange and blue were dribbling down the length of the pop and onto his fist. His tongue quickly remedied this, over and over and over.  
  
Harry drew in a sharp breath, at a loss. His mouth was slightly parted, but it didn't seem to bother the boy that he was staring.  
  
In a matter of minutes, Ron's treat was gone and only a stained wooden stick was left. The redhead frowned, his deep crimson lips molded into a pout. Turning, he was startled to see Harry's emerald eyes trained on him in wonder.  
  
A 'What?' was on the tip of his tonuge when he noticed Harry's untouched popsicle. An idea struck him with the force of a ten ton Hippogriff. Jimmy's twisted influence, no doubt.  
  
So, Ron ran his tongue over his upper lip and looked the flustered boy in the eye," You want that, mate?"  
  
Harry sputtered, unable to form a single coherent thought when his gaze was glued to the redhead's full, burgundy mouth." Mm ungh."  
  
Ron chuckled in spite of himself, and Harry shuddered. " I take that as a no?"  
  
The brunette blinked, and the next thing he knew he had a Weasley lapping at a melting popsicle still in his fist. Ron held back a smirk as he closed his eyes and indulged himself. Since when had Mum's pops tasted so GOOD?  
  
Ron suckled gently at the tip of the treat and when a delicious gasp met his ears, the boy's bravery shot to a dizzying level. Slowly, he began to bob up and down the dessert. His speed picked up as his tongue rushed to keep up, massaging sweet flavor from the melted mass in his mouth. It took a little bit of effort and sheer self control, but Ron finally managed to do it. He slipped the entire popsicle into his mouth and shivered as pieces broke off and slid down his throat. It was only a minute later that he was done, and Ron pulled back to survey his work. The wooden stick shone just as bright red as his did, but this one was trembling. The truth was, Harry was gaping at him, fist shaking at his bafflement.  
  
Ron licked his lips clean and regarded the flabbergasted brunette. But it seemed Harry had other plans, and he was up and gone before Ron could protest.  
  
The boy sat back on his palms and frowned, " What did I do wrong?..."

()()  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Ron looked up from the game of Wizard's Chess he was playing and peered at Jimmy. It hadn't taken long for the redhead to figure out back in school that the Potter was a formidable opponent and he'd eagerly forced Jimmy to play chess with him constantly. They'd often rotate Malfoy into their rounds when they could, since he too was more than a little skilled at the game. Ron loved his chessmates, and he only wished that Harry had taken more of a liking to the game.But alas, he didn't. While Ron had been in the common room or library spiritedly whomping or being whomped by either Jimmy or Malfoy, Harry was off coaching Quidditch or making out with Hermione or snuggling up to Cienna or fending off the hordes of girls at his beck and call...Ron frowned in his reverie. No, Jimmy was wrong, there was no WAY Harry would ever like him. He'd only ever had girlfriends, and besides that-  
  
"Just spit it out." Jimmy snapped as he nudged his white bishop forward.  
  
Ron blinked and refocused on the brunette infront of him, who was currently regarding him with impatience. "What?"  
  
"I know you were brooding again, so just spit out your melancholy so I can stomp it out of you."  
  
Ron sighed," I'm just not sure anymore, Jimmy. Harry's had SO many girlfriends..."  
  
"Oh god, like, THREE," The boy replied with a roll of his green eyes.  
  
Ron pouted," Still. Three GIRLS, no boys...Are you certain he fancies chaps?"  
  
Jimmy watched as Ron's knight plowed into his castle, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully," I know my brother inside and out, dear sir. Trust me, he likes guys."  
  
Ron sat back in his armchair, watching as one of Jimmy's knights demolished his own. The boy absentmindedly noted that Jimmy's chess pieces were about as bold and fiery as their owner. Ron really shouldn't have gotten Jimmy a set of white and gold. A bright wine and royal blue set would've been more fitting.  
  
"How can you be so sure? Have you caught him having a little snog with Seamus or something?"  
  
Jimmy looked insulted," Seamus? THAT dumb blond? The walking, talking erection?"  
  
Ron snorted," Didn't like him too much, did you?"  
  
The brunette shifted on his seat's cushion, resting his calf on his knee," He was ok in his own right, but as for a snogging partner, no. I could hear him making out with Dennis Creevey as if they'd both been doused with a bucket of water."  
  
The mental image was NOT pretty." Oh...but still. How do you know Harry will fancy me?"  
  
"Just trust me, I know what I'm talking about."  
  
Ron sighed and looked out of the sheer netting that encased the veranda to the moonlight reflecting on the ocean waves. It would've been a beautiful moment. Playing a midnight game of chess amidst subtle warm breezes and the mist of the waves cooling off what was left of the summer day. But just like the typical Weasley luck, Ron was with the wrong Potter.  
  
Jimmy was great, everything a good mate should be, but...he just wasn't Harry. He was too regal, too well put together, too worldly. Harry was none of those things. Harry was the Boy-Next-Door. The shy, modest sweetheart who everyone couldn't help but love. Harry was endearing and heroic and chivalrious. He was kind and courageous and giving. Harry was righteous and pure. Harry was this deep-rooted fiber in everyone's heart. He brought out the best in people...Harry brought out the best in _him_.  
  
"Why don't you go and TALK to him about it?"  
  
Ron blanched," _WHAT_! Are you **insane**! He'd chew my head off!"  
  
Jimmy looked the better of exasperated," Ron, you stupid creature. What have I been telling you over and OVER for the past week?"  
  
" Fine. He likes guys, but that doesn't mean he'll like ME."  
  
"Whats not to like?"  
  
Ron paused, struggling in vain to fight back a horrible blush.  
  
Jimmy chuckled," You're just red from hair to foot. What's not adorable about that?"  
  
"Sod off."  
  
Jimmy laughed even more vehemently.  
  
" You're not helping any!"  
  
The brunette snorted as he tried to calm himself. Ron rolled his eyes and slumped in his chair, waiting out Jimmy's giggle fit with much irritation. Sometimes he wondered why he put up with Jimmy. The boy was simply ANNOYING. Him and Malfoy would make a lovely couple, at home with eachother's sarcasm, obnoxious perception and love of laughing at someone else's expense, especially Ron's. He knew they lived to tease him. Rotten prats." You finished?"  
  
Jimmy fanned himself, his giggles and sniggers dying down as he caught his breath." Yeah..Oh. Oh god, that was great."  
  
Ron scowled," I was just thinking, you and Malfoy would make a handsome couple." _That slapped the smile off his face good_, Ron thought happily.  
  
Jimmy quickly recovered with much grace, his ego bruised but still intact, " MY love life isn't one big horrible mess, unlike someone else I know."  
  
"Atleast I have one."  
  
"I'm much too busy to bother with girls."  
  
"Busy with WHAT?"  
  
"Applying for jobs at the Ministry. Yanno, the Minister himself said I would make a good assistant."  
  
Ron crossed his arms," So, while you're behind a stuffy desk, I'll be having a grand ol' time in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."  
  
"We're getting off topic here."  
  
" I'M not. I'm perfectly on topic. I'm just replying to snide remarks made at my person. Now, if you don't mind, I need to smear this veranda with your loss." Ron said, ordering his King forward.  
  
Jimmy growled and glowered at the boy. "Bishop to E5." He watched as the dawn of realization hit Ron like a slap in the face. Jimmy smiled darkly," Checkmate. Now, can we get onto more important issues?"  
  
Ron grumbled and slouched impossibly lower," Smart aleck. Worse than 'Mione was, I swear."  
  
"Yeah yeah. Now, I saw Harry stumble into our room earlier today looking like he'd been run over by a dragon. What happened exactly?"  
  
The redhead grimaced," I think I scared the wits out of him.  
  
Jimmy groaned," Ohhh, what'd you do?"  
  
"I might've been a TAD too zealous."  
  
"What did you do, Ron?"  
  
"I ate his ice cream..."  
  
"What's so zealous about that?"  
  
"While it was still in his hand."  
  
"For pete's sake, Ron! You're supposed to be flirting with him, not offering him a lifetime membership to the Mile High club!"  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Nevermind. My point is, you have to seduce Harry with GRACE. He's the sort who likes to be courted. Yanno, private rendevous, love notes, secret smiles, that kind of stuff."  
  
Ron shifted, " Did I mess up badly then?"  
  
"Well..yes, but nothing we can't fix. He knows you better than to judge you by this afternoon alone. Just try to be more tasteful from now on."  
  
" What about you, Jimmy? Do you like to be courted?"  
  
The brunette blinked, clearly not expecting this conversation to turn onto him," Well, I'm not sure. Girls don't exactly 'court'."  
  
"So...you only like girls?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose."  
  
"You'd never even consider being with a chap, like THAT?"  
  
"I..I don't know."  
  
"How about kissing a guy?"  
  
"Ron, I think we're DEFINTELY getting off topic."  
  
"No, I want to know. I've been dishing out my secrets, the least you could do is reciprocate so I don't feel like an UTTER fool."  
  
Jimmy looked to the side, looking the better of uncomfortable.  
  
"Have you ever kissed a guy?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ron faltered, not expecting that answer.Then he realized something," Wait, I mean someone other than me."  
  
"I know."  
  
"So...Yes? You've kissed a guy, thats not me?"  
  
Sigh." Yes."  
  
Ron was indeed intrigued," Who?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Aw, c'mon Jimmy. You can't leave me hanging like that."  
  
"There's nothing to say...We sorted it out later on and decided it was best to just leave it alone."  
  
The Weasley frowned," Was that his or your decision? Honestly."  
  
Jimmy lowered his eyes," His."  
  
Ron frowned more," Did you like him alot?"  
  
"Well...I never considered it until the moment he kissed me, then it was like I had been hit by a bag of bricks."  
  
Without thinking, Ron reached forward and gently patted the raven-haired boy's knee," So, you got your heart broken?"  
  
Jimmy smiled sadly," Pretty much.But its not important anymore. He's moved on, so have I."  
  
"Doesn't make it easier though."  
  
The brunette shrugged half-heartedly, and Ron had the distinct impression that he was venturing into sensitive waters. Ron had never had to deal with Jimmy's love life problems before, the boy had always just been good at it on his own. But now that he knew Jimmy had gotten dumped by a boy he was in love with still, he felt a closer affiliation to the Gryffindor than before.  
  
Was he truly picking the right Potter?  
  
" So..its only been the one since then?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't think I could handle losing someone else...I think Skye did it in for me."  
  
Ron nodded solemnly. He almost forgot that Skye was murdered right infront of Jimmy's eyes. Merlin, the poor kid had been through so much. Ron squeezed Jimmy's knee softly," You'll find someone, Jim. You're too good a catch to pass up."  
  
Emerald met chocolate. And for a brief few moments, the boys inched towards eachother.The air crackled, and a shiver ran up Ron's spine. Then Jimmy jerked his face to the side and it was over.  
  
"We need to set up a perfectly romantic place for you to woo Harry."  
  
Ron sat back in his chair, watching with concern as Jimmy stood and headed for the front door.  
  
"Leave it to me. I'll give you what you've always wanted."  
  
Ron sat there for several hours, only one thought going through his confused mind. Was what he always wanted...the right choice? Had he always wanted the correct Potter?

* * *

_'You Belong To Me' Jason Wade_  
  
Pt.1.5 of The Weasley Episodes  
  
_A/N_: song is for the gazebo scene. Just thought I'd clarify

* * *

It was on Thursday night that Jimmy finally approached Ron with his master plan he inconspicuously named 'Operation:Snog Harry.' Ron was less than amused.  
  
Jimmy plopped down onto Bill's bed which was besides Ron's, turning an eager face to the redhead," Ok. Harry's been brooding a bit the past few days, so tonight after the BBQ will be a perfect time to coax him into a conversation."  
  
Ron pushed his chocolate frog cards aside,"How do you figure?"  
  
"What better time to let him know you care deeply for him, than when he thinks NO one cares?"  
  
Ron shook his head, "Thats nuts, Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy pouted and crossed his arms. Ron noted that the motion caused the brunette's blue shirt to stretch across his chest nicely," No its not. Its just common sense. Seriously, who're you going to believe? Me, the master, or yourself?"  
  
The redhead sighed," You."  
  
"Exactly. Because I am brilliant and omnipotent."  
  
"And more egotistical than Gilderoy Lockhart." Ron said with a snigger.  
  
Jimmy waved the comment off and stood," Well, lets get going."  
  
Ron suddenly reached forward, grabbing the boy's wrist, "Wait."  
  
Jimmy frowned," What is it?"  
  
"i...er.." Ron grappled for some logical way to approach the issue he'd been plagued by since the night on the veranda."I need a few pointers."  
  
"Pointers?"  
  
"Yes..In,ah..Kissing."  
  
Jimmy seemed appeased enough, and sat back down." What do you need pointers on exactly?"  
  
"Well...I've only kissed about two people in my entire life. You being one of them." The boys indulged themselves in a brief blush before Ron continued." If tonight goes according to your plan, I'm going to need to be skilled atleast a LITTLE. Merlin knows how talented Harry will be at snogging."  
  
"Tell me about it," Jimmy muttered.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing." Jimmy shifted over to sit besides the redhead."Alright. Now, what do you know so far?"  
  
"Well,umm..Lips touch lips?"  
  
"Then?"  
  
"Then...they pull away?"  
  
Jimmy groaned and rolled his eyes," Lord, give me strength...Alright. First thing to remember is ALWAYS keep your mouth soft and pliable. The worst thing to kiss is a dead fish."  
  
Ron scrunched his nose.  
  
"Second, as far as first kisses go, less is more. Don't go getting over zealous again and ruining the moment."  
  
"Ok..that makes sense."  
  
"Alright. When progressing to an open-mouted kiss, the thing to remember is pace yourself. There's no reason to get hasty,cause chances are, if you get to kiss twice, you'll get another one. A normal problem people tend to have at this point is the obvious 'Where the HELL do I put my nose!'. Simply hold Harry's jaw and tilt it the opposite direction of yours."  
  
Ron wrinkled his forehead, trying to imagine it," O..k..."  
  
"Now. If you get this far, and he hasn't stopped you yet, you might want to try going a bit farther."  
  
"Whats farther?"  
  
"French kissing."  
  
Ron blushed," French kissing? Is that with the tongues?"  
  
"Yep. Tonsil hockey at its best...Don't worry, its less awkward once you're doing it."  
  
"Which is how exactly?"  
  
"Well, to initiate it, you gently run the tip of your tongue over his lips, and he'll either stop the kiss or part his mouth. If you gain entrance, slip your tongue into his mouth and massage his tongue with yours."  
  
"It sounds awfully intimate..."  
  
"it is. The kiss is one of the most intimate gestures ever created."  
  
"so, what do I do then? Just poke at his tongue a bit?"  
  
Jimmy rolled his eyes again," No stupid."  
  
"Well, how am I supposed to know? I've never gone beyond a peck on the lips," Ron replied indignantly.  
  
"Haven't you ever practiced on your hand?"  
  
"Maybe once or twice, but my hand doesn't have a tongue OR inhibitions."  
  
" Damn, Ron. You'd think with five brothers, you would've gotten SOME advice on this sort of thing," Jimmy said as he leaned back on his palms.  
  
"All I got from my Dad was the whole the Snidgets and the Runespoors talk. Fred and George tortured me with these awful images of what kissing and touching and sex were going to be like. They said it was all close to taking Skele-Gro."  
  
Jimmy smirked and shook his head," I doubt those two have seen any action beyond your own experiences."  
  
Ron frowned, feeling a bit down-trodden," But they're straight...Even if I get Harry, I'm not sure if Mum and Dad'll approve.Or ANY of my family for that matter."  
  
"Its not up to them what you do with your life, Ron. Its your own. If you truely love Harry, then any hardship to come will be worth it."  
  
"You haven't told me yet if YOU approve."  
  
"Its not my decision who you or my brother falls in love with."  
  
"But you're ok with the idea of Harry being with a guy?"  
  
"Sure. I'm the last one who should be passing judgement. Besides that, you're a good guy, Ron. I know you'll make Harry very happy."  
  
Ron managed a small smile.  
  
"Now, if you're done being a thirteen year old, there're some chicken breasts smothered in teriyaki with my name on 'em."  
  
As Jimmy rose and headed for the door, Ron knew it was now or never. He'd never be able to get Jimmy alone after this, and he simply HAD to know...  
  
So as quickly as he could, though a bit sloppily, Ron shoved Jimmy against the wall and crashed his lips down onto the brunette's.Jimmy gasped and went rigid against Ron's weight, but it didn't deter the redhead. Ron pressed himself flush against the boy, amazed by just how wonderful the firm muscles felt. Jimmy's heart was thudding wildly against Ron's chest and his hands were trembling as they fumbled for something to hold onto, finally resting on Ron's shoulderblades.  
  
Ron ran his tongue along Jimmy's lips, and like magic, they parted. The brunette sighed, suddenly becoming butter in his embrace. Ron tentatively ventured his tongue forward, not knowing what to expect. But what met his senses was nothing like he'd imagined. Jimmy's tongue was equal parts soft and firm. He tasted like chocolate..but Ron didn't recall the boy ever even having a single piece all day. Ron found he didn't care all that much HOW he got to tasting like chocolate, Jimmy just DID. The ginger-haired wizard glided his hands up to rest them on Jimmy's neck and jaw, cradling his face tenderly.The boy whimpered as Ron pushed himself closer, unconsciously bringing their laps into contact.  
  
Jimmy's hands suddenly dug into Ron's chest, and pushed him away.  
  
Ron frowned.  
  
"Did you find out what you wanted?" Jimmy whispered, his eyes mere jade slits as they focused on the ground.  
  
Ron's stomach plummeted, and nodded dumbly.  
  
"Good...I need to get things set up for you and Harry..." He shifted out of Ron's hold and slipped out the door.  
  
It would've been better to say that Ron indeed figured things out just then, that the kiss put things back into perspective. But when had things EVER been simple for him? Not only was he still confused, but he now found himself aching for Jimmy's lips again. Pushing it to the back of his mind, Ron straightened out his clothes before venturing outside to join his family and the object of his affection.  
  
For the most part, Ron had steered clear of the bristling Potter. He might be brave, but no one's THAT brave to face an angry and humiliated Jimmy Potter. And it was his own fault. If it hadn't been for that stupid kiss, Jimmy would still be speaking to him or atleast standing within fifteen feet of the ginger-haired boy. But no. The brunette wizard had made it pretty clear as soon as Ron had walked outside, that he was to avoid him at all costs, and let Jimmy himself initiate a conversation. Or fistfight. Whichever came first.  
  
So, that left Ron lingering near the pile of food his father was cooking up, Muggle style on a grill. Chicken breasts, chicken legs, turkey slices, pork chops, lamb chops, ribs and dozens of other artery-clogging foods. Mr. Weasley had even made a few hamburgers upon Harry's insistance. They turned out to be pretty good as soon as Jimmy had conjured up mayonaisse, mustard and other dressings. Ron sighed heavily and leaned back against the railing, gazing moodily into his gellatin and half-eaten burger.  
  
"Something wrong, Ron?"  
  
Ron blinked and looked up into his father's concerned round face. He managed to call up a pathetic smile," Sure, yeah, I'm fine Dad."  
  
Weasley Senior stared skeptically at his youngest son, then gave his wand a flick to magically flip over all the meats before turning to the boy, " I know that look on your face, Ronald. Now out with it.You've been acting off all week."  
  
Ron shifted, averting his gaze to his sandal-clad feet. Such god awful feet, Ron thought to himself. Awful and awkward and huge. Everything about me is awful.  
  
"Is it girl problems?" Arthur inquired.  
  
Ron bit his tongue. How he would've LOVED for all this to be just 'girl problems'. It'd probably be so much simpler. Meet a girl; Fall in love with the girl; Bring the girl home to meet the parents. But alas, twas not the fate for ye, Ronald Weasley.  
  
"**Boy** problems?"  
  
The rate at which Ron's head jerked up caused his neck to crack, making him groan in pain." Owww..."  
  
Arthur raised a brow," Ah, so it IS boy problems."  
  
"N-no. I mean. Yes. I mean..its not what you think..."  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." At that moment, Mr. Weasley lowered his voice and head towards his son, eyeing the rest of the family cautiously. " Just last night Ginny came to me and your mother commenting that you'd been acting strangely ever since we arrived. Now, there's no reason to feel embarrassed. You know your mother and I love you no matter WHAT."  
  
Ron felt an odd stirring behind his eyes and he didn't dare look up." You won't love me after this..." he muttered.  
  
Arthur frowned, "Ron...Ron, what is it? You can tell me."  
  
The boy set down his plate and walked off before he could burst into tears. He hadn't cried infront of his parents since he was six, and he wasn't about to start now. Ron leaned his arms against the railing and sent a sigh out into the ocean. The gazebo seemed the best place to escape the probing stares of his family, and indeed, it turned out better than he expected. Already two hours had passed and no one had come to bug him about his sudden disappearance. He suspected Jimmy knew where he was, but was avoiding him. Its my own fault, Ron said to himself. I shouldn't have kissed him, not when he knew I was in love with his brother...He must think I'm SUCH a creep.  
  
The ginger-haired wizard's shoulders slumped as he bent over the railing, letting his forehead press against his forearm.  
  
"He helps you out, and the only way you repay him is to snog his brains out and confuse the poor guy...Senor Screws-Up-Alot strikes again!"  
  
A gentle chuckle sent a shiver up the boy's spine, making his body tense.  
  
"Senor Screws-Up-Alot is back? What did he do now?"  
  
Ron straightened out with a jerk, surprise scrawled all over his features, " Harry..."  
  
The brunette gave him a sheepish smile and stood at the base of the gazebo, looking up at him, " Mind if I join you?"  
  
Ron shook his head and turned around to lean back against the wooden railing. Harry climbed the few steps and stood in the middle of the platform, hands in pockets and looking very awkward.  
  
"It's nice here, " Harry commented quietly, casting an approving glance out over the waves not twelve feet from them.  
  
Ron nodded silently, turning his coffee eyes back to the water.  
  
Harry sighed almost inaudibly, looking back at his friend, " You know, you had us worried."  
  
Ron remained expessionless," Oh?"  
  
"Yeah, " Harry shifted his weight, digging his hands deeper into his pockets. "No one knew where you ran off to...well, no one aside from Jimmy."  
  
Ron had to snort. He was right.  
  
"It was him who told me where you were..."  
  
The redhead stayed silent.  
  
"He also told me to come after you, that you needed a best friend right about now..."  
  
Ron knew Harry was looking at him expectantly.But he just couldn't.  
  
"Ron... Ron look at me." When he complied, he found Harry's intense green eyes reaching out to him in the moonlight and strangling him. " What's going on with you? And don't tell me nothings wrong, cause I know there is."  
  
_Oh Harry. Dear, sweet, oblivious Harry. If only you knew._  
  
"Ron, c'mon. We've been friends for forever, you know you can trust me."  
  
_Please don't remind me of our friendship, Harry. I'm only too aware of its importance..and what I could lose.  
_  
"Ron."  
  
_Don't say my name like that, Harry. It's killing me.  
_  
"Ron... Ron, come on."  
  
_Please stop it. What with you looking at me like that and the soothing sound of your voice, I don't know how much longer I can stand this..._  
  
"Ron, please..."  
  
_Don't move closer. Harry...Harry!_  
  
"Ron..."  
  
"Harry."  
  
All things considered, Ron thought Harry handled it all very strappingly. I mean, its not everyday a guy has their best friend throwing themselves at him, sobbing uncontrolably. Especially if that best friend is Ron Weasley, who's never shed a tear in public view if he could help it. Ron knew he probably scared the dickens out of his poor, confused mate, but at this point in time, he no longer cared.  
  
All his feelings were surging to the surface, like luminescent bubbles in a crystal clear potion. They were growing in numbers with each passing second and Ron couldn't contain them for the life of him.  
  
Harry was warm and his embrace strong. His breath was light and ticklish on the boy's neck. His scent was everything Quidditch and sunny afternoons. Even his red t-shirt was soft and oozed Harryness against Ron's cheek as he shifted deeper into the dip of the Seeker's neck. Harry was all things good and right and Ron loved him for it...As the thought strayed across his mind, Ron found he didn't want it to leave this time. No, no it was to stay. Because he loved Harry. He loved him...He loved him...  
  
"I love you."  
  
Harry tensed beneath Ron's fingers.  
  
"I love you, Harry."  
  
The brunette's breath hitched in his throat as full, soft lips tentatively grazed his. But as hands wove through thick ebony locks, Harry's mouth relaxed beneath Ron's. To as much his surprise as Ron's, the boy reciprocated.  
  
And Ron thought he could die right then. He slowly inched closer, pressing his mouth harder against the raven-haired youth's until their teeth knocked together. Jostled by the unexpected sensation, Harry eagerly parted his lips receiving one of the most passionate kisses he'd ever had. What Ron lacked in experience, he made up for in emotion. The boy pulsed heat and poured every ounce of his soul through his lips and into Harry. What was a guy to do?  
  
Ron couldn't help the groan that escaped him as his body was pressed closer, pushed flush against the brunette's.  
  
Harry's hands crept down Ron's back, experimenting with brushing his fingertips across the bare skin below Ron's tailbone. Ron shivered and tightened his arms around the boy's neck, hugging him closer. Harry sighed into the youth's mouth at the first delicate brushes of tongue against silken tongue and his hands found themselves lining Ron's waistband.  
  
Ron let it happen. All of it. And as he lay hours later on Harry's moist chest,exhausted but blissful , he knew he'd never regret it. Harry's arms wrapped around him, holding him protectively, and Ron grinned against the brunette's skin before slipping into the first truly peaceful slumber of his life.

* * *

So? What's the verdict? Am i to be taken to the stocks and shackled for all eternity? Atleast let me get out the next few chapters first. I PROMISE I'll develop Harry and Ron's relationship, if but a TAD on the slow side. All good things are worth waiting for.

-Emerin


	6. Figure You Out

Hullo!

Its me again, after quite the lag. SORRY! Midterms and all ::scrunches nose:: They suck. But they're done and over with and now I can get back on track with my main passion...SKINNY DIPPING! ..Nah, not really, though I bet alot of you wish that ::wriggles eyebrows suggestively:: Tsk tsk. Anyways, after this one I'm going total 'story not already typed from other site', so, the chapters MIGHT not be as good. Which brings me to my next issue of discussion; I'm in dire need of a BETA READER! Now, I've tried this before, as a few of you know, and the effort landed me with NO beta. I'll try once again, since I really need one. Well, two technically. So, if you think you're up for the job, let me know through a review or email me. I also need one for _In The Blink Of An Eye_, and _Brethren of the Phoenix's Eye_ and _The Young and the Hopeless_.

So, let me know ASAP!

**erin kite**: heheh...HOT! LoL. Of all the reviews I get, I think the ones I enjoy most are the ones that say " Can we say HOT?". I dunno why, maybe its the slasher in me D

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Third Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

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(**RATED PG-13** for suggestive dialogue, guy-guy implied relationship)

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_'Sunshine' Gabrielle_  
Pt. 2 of the Weasley Episodes  
  
(recap) The Weasleys get treated to a lovely summer vacation in New Guinea, compliments of Fred and George. The ever giving family they are, they ask Harry and Jimmy to join them.  
  
Summary: Always the baby of the family and her brother Ron's group of friends, Ginny Weasley's maturity was constantly being overlooked. But the past year has been VERY good to the youngest Weasley, gifting her with a perfect figure and the brains to match. Just as she's brinking on getting ahold of her urges, Ginny discovers she's to vacation on the beach with not only her family, but 2 of Ron's cutest friends! Little Ginny soon finds herself smack dab in the middle of one of the wizarding world's most complicated intrigues, involving the notorious Potters no less. No one ever said being a Weasley was a boring occupation.  
  
()--()----------- 

Ginny Weasley never enjoyed doing house chores much. She always seemed to disappear, along with her brothers, when her mother squawked about a sink of dirty dishes or a dirty floor. But seeing as she was a girl, and the ONLY girl in her family of six older brothers, Ginny was weasled out of her room and forced to help her mum out. This was all before the vacation, of course. Sure, her siblings still turned tail and ran like the cowards they were, but she didn't mind as much anymore that she got stuck cleaning the kitchen or tidying up the sitting room or raiding the rooms for dirty laundry, or any other mindless task. Why, you ask yourself?  
Ginny gave a startled squeal as extremely wet and soapy hands grabbed the scruff of her neck. She spun round, trying her hardest to plant a firm scowl on her face but failed, miserably.  
"Jimmy!"  
  
Yep. THAT was the reason for little Ginny's eager acceptance into the world of cleaning spells and breakfast preparal. Jimmy Potter, younger brother to the famous Harry Potter.  
  
"What?" He asked innocently, a trademark smirk on his lips as he turned back to scrubbing down the countertops.  
  
Jimmy had been more than willing to help the youngest Weasley in her labors while they vacationed, and she'd reveled in his wonderful company. Somehow, Jimmy Potter made EVERYTHING fun, even chores. At the moment, Ginny was putting together breakfast for the family while Jimmy washed the ridiculous amount of dishes from last night's BBQ, amidst some Muggle rock music Jimmy had put on his stereo. Who knew BBQ sauce would be so difficult to remove from ceramic dishware?  
  
"Having fun?" Ginny inquired icily, rubbing away the soap as best she could, but knew her collar was already a goner.  
  
"Course. There's nothing better than hosing down a load of dirty dishes to workup an appetite."  
  
The girl arched her brows at him, " You're mental."  
  
Jimmy grinned, " Thanks."  
  
The redhead eyed him as he aggressively took over scrubbing where his previous spell left off, "What ARE you doing?"  
  
" I don't have a stronger spell for the hard, crusty stuff, " He grunted, then winced as the fork leapt from his fist and deliberately squirted a jet of suds at his cheek, then scuttled across the floor.  
  
Ginny giggled and magicked all the bacon to flip over, " Try Scourify Maximus."  
  
Jimmy scrunched his nose, then aimed his soapy wand at the considerable pile of dishes left, " _Scourgify Maxmus_!"  
Like, well, magic, the sponges began to scrub with feverish vigour, scrapping the bits of dried beef and sauce clean off the plates. The brunette shot a smile at her, " Well, that worked out nicely."  
  
Ginny returned the smile with a blush and went back to overseeing the hash browns. It was weird getting along so eeriely well with Jimmy. For as long as she could remember, Ginny had always gone tongue-tied when around Harry, therefore they never got a chance to really talk. But that wasn't the case with Jimmy. He was just always so outgoing and comfortable, it was close to impossible to feel awkward when round him. So, ever since Greenland, Ginny had been confiding in him more and more. He was like one of her best girlfriends, and he had already gotten a kick out of being called as such. Ginny smirked.  
"So, what are we doing today, Girlfriend?"  
  
Jimmy smiled and levitated the last of the cups into the cupboard and turned around with a sigh," I've been wanting to go up to the bluff outside the village and take some pic-"  
  
Ginny frowned at the sudden change in Jimmy's expression. He had turned a good two shades paler, which was shocking in itself since his skin was so tan. Quickly turning round to see what all the hubbub was about, Ginny hastily clapped a hand to her mouth to stiffle her squeak. Was it just her imagination, or did Harry and Ron just come inside...HOLDING HANDS? Now that she thought about it, she never DID see either of them going to bed last night. She distinctly remembered chatting Jimmy away into the wee hours of the morning, never thinking much of the messy bed next to his she sat on all night.  
The boys shared a rather intimate gaze that made Ginny's stomach twitch uncomfortably, and slipt quietly up the main staircase. Ginny and Jimmy stood in stunned silence, the radio filtering a new Josie song into the rigid room. They subconsciously waited with baited breath until they heard the shutting of two different doors. The two exhaled and exchanged a baffled look.  
  
"Mornin' my early risers. How's breakfast coming along?"  
  
Ginny squeaked and Jimmy jumped, knocking a wooden spoon to the ground. Mrs. Weasley eyed them curiously from the doorframe of the kitchen stairway.  
  
"You two ok?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
"Sure, " Jimmy blurted.  
  
"Course, " Ginny added with an eager nod. Then the pair grabbed some toast, an egg each and spit a hasty 'Going to the village' to Mrs. Weasley before zipping out the front door.  
  
Molly simply shook her head, giving the early morning sky a glance, "The youngest ones are always the oddest."

()----()------------  
  
Ginny plopped herself down onto a decently smooth boulder, then as an afterthought, tucked her sweater beneath her bottom. She leaned forward on her knees, cupping her chin in her palm and watched as Jimmy aimed his camera at something in the distance. Silently, she wished he wouldn't stand so bloody close to the edge. It was fraying her nerves each time a few rocks dislodged and his foot slipped.  
" Jimmy, could you NOT try to end your life?"  
  
" Huh?" The boy grunted distractedly, twisting a knob or another atop his camera.  
  
Ginny plucked a pebble from besides her shoe and chucked it at the back of his unruly head.  
  
Jimmy turned with a frown, rubbing the injury, " Hey, what was that for?"  
  
"Get away from the ledge before you make me have heart failure."  
  
"But I get better shots from here."  
  
"Jimmy..."  
  
"Oh, FINE. Worrywart, " He grumbled and walked away from the sheer drop into the waves below, obviously not very happy about it. After depositing himself on a small patch of grass, Jimmy became engrossed with fiddling with his gear.  
  
Ginny was defintely not pleased. There was so much on her mind, most prodominant of which being the sexual preference of a certain Boy-Who-Lived...and her brother. " Do you think they did what it looked like they did?"  
  
This seemed to grab the brunette's attention, since he paused mid-winding to stare blankly at the object in his hands. Then he was back, "What do _you_ think?" He mumbled.  
  
Ginny chewed on her lip, absent-mindedly watching him unload his film, " I'm not sure. I mean, I never really gave their love lives much thought...It WAS kind of suspicious that Ron never dated anyone. Sure, he had those crushes on Fleur DeLacour and Hermione, but nothing else...And HARRY? He never seemed the _type_."  
  
"Is there a _type_?"  
  
"Well, I guess. Sort of...well...uninterested in girls and...um..feminine."  
  
"Ron's not exactly feminine."  
  
"But he's uninterested in girls."  
  
The boy seemed unsettled all the same, " I don't know..."  
  
Ginny leaned forward anxiously, " They were holding hands, Jimmy. AND smiling. AND making googly eyes at eachother. AND looking rather flushed. AND their clothes were messed up. AND-"  
  
"OK! Ok, I get it!"  
  
Ginny frowned, " You know, there's nothing wrong with being gay. Its perfectly normal."  
  
Jimmy sighed heavily, stowing away his equipment into its place in his bag, " I know..."  
  
The redhead cocked her head a bit, looking at the Potter sadly, " Is it because its HARRY?"  
  
Jimmy stood and pulled the strap of his bag over his head and adjusted it across his chest, " No. I already knew about it."  
  
Ginny leapt to her feet, chasing after him as he made his way back down the vague path," You KNEW!? And you didn't tell me?!"  
  
"Well, it wasn't my secret to tell, now was it?"  
  
"No, " She pouted.  
  
"Besides, I didn't really know for sure with Harry, I only suspected. And when Ron told me he liked Harry, well, I knew what was coming."  
  
Ginny slid her arm through Jimmy's, leaning her cheek against his shoulder, " Are you sad?"  
  
Jimmy furrowed his brow, staring unseeingly straight ahead, " Yes...but not in the way you think."  
  
"Then what way, then?"  
  
"I can't...its...its complicated."  
  
"Jimmy, come on-"  
  
"I really don't want to talk about it, ok Gin?"  
  
Ginny sighed but nodded anyway, snuggling deeper into the brunette's shoulder. If what was bothering Jimmy was what she figured, then Ginny knew how he was feeling. Two people they both cared deeply for just found love...in eachother.

()----()----------  
  
"You know, its ok to be jealous."  
  
Jimmy looked over, equal parts indignation and horror, " I'm not jealous!"  
  
Fred perked up immediately, ducking his head back into their aisle," Who's jealous?"  
  
Ginny scowled at her eavesdropping brother, " No one, Fred. Go away."  
  
Fred feigned hurt, stepping further into the aisle where Ginny and Jimmy were currently picking through collectible seashells." Thats not very nice, Ginny."  
  
"Not very nice at all," George confirmed, flanking his twin.  
  
"Oh bugger off," She snapped and plucked three pink shells from the bin and dropped them into a little vial.  
  
George appeared shocked as Fred clasped a hand to his mouth. " Ginny! Where did your virgin lips learn such words!"  
  
"My lips, I'll have you know, are ANYTHING but virgin." Ginny replied as a matter-of-factly.  
  
"**AH**!" Fred exclaimed, moving his hands to his ears.  
  
"_It burns_!" George screamed.  
  
"Thats something we REALLY could've lived without knowing, Ginny, " Ron commented as he passed by the group.  
  
"Oh, thats rich, coming from YOU, " The youngest Weasley retorted.  
  
Ron went an interesting shade of red before shuffling out of the shop.  
  
George was intrigued. "Whats wrong with him?"  
  
"What ISN'T wrong with him?" Fred replied and the two went off to investigate.  
  
Jimmy breathed a sigh of relief then turned to the girl," Ginny, you have to be more careful. I'm pretty well sure that if Ron and Harry wanted us to know they had a romp, they would've told us."  
  
Ginny ruffled," I know that!"  
  
The boy frowned at her," Do you though?" He then strode out the door, shoulders hunched and rigid.  
  
Ginny quickly paid for her seashells and raced after him down the busy market streets. She passed Fred and George hassling Ron outside a cafe, Bill and Harry checking out strips of leather at a hair accessory booth, her mum and Percy browsing through books at a shop and Charlie haggling with a owner for a pair of boots before she finally caught up to Jimmy. He was too fast for his own good, for the whole family had seen him stalk by with Ginny scrambling after him. "SO inconspicuous, they'll NEVER tell somethings up NOW."  
  
"Whatever," He grunted, and switched onto the road that would lead to their beach house.  
  
"What was all that back there at the store?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Bull."  
  
Jimmy chanced a glance at her, which she returned with a heated glare. If nothing else, she acquired her mum's piercing **Look**. And he caved a second later.  
  
"I know what its like to be judged, Gin. I mean, we all love them like crazy, but the media won't be so friendly. I just..I don't want Ron or Harry to get hurt."  
  
Ginny gazed up at him, still skeptical, but for now, playing along, " And what makes you think they'll get hurt?"  
  
"BECAUSE," Jimmy stated.  
  
"Well..._BECAUSE_. Hell, I'm convinced."  
  
Jimmy sneered sarcastically," Har har. "  
  
Ginny sighed and tried for a different tactic. She slid her hand gently up Jimmy's arm, resting on his shoulder. Instantly, she could feel how hard and tense he was...Wow, he must be taking this REALLY hard." Now, tell me the truth. Why are you so upset?"  
From the conflicted look on his face, Ginny could tell she'd figured right. There was more to this than the Potter let on. He knew something she didn't, and it was killing him. "Out with it, Potter."  
  
Jimmy grimaced and shook his head," I...I just can't...Its too complicated, you wouldn't understand."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"No...Maybe when I'm ready, but not now."  
  
"Jimmy, please. You're my best friend, let me help you."  
  
Jimmy looked striken." You CAN'T help with this, no one can. Its MY problem and I have to work through it myself."  
  
Ginny stood with her hands on her hips as Jimmy sprinted off the road and up the hill towards the bluff. For now, she'd let him runaway, but she'd figure him out before the summer's end.

()----()-------

She just didn't get it. Already a week gone by and Ginny wasn't anymore close to figuring Jimmy's secret out than when she had started. He was good, she'd give him that. But if HE was secretive and discreet, than Harry and Ron were bloody Unspeakables. Neither of them had given anyone the inclination that anything happened the night of the BBQ, or ANY night for that matter. They were as friendly as they'd always been, no more, no less. Plus, they were rarely alone together, and they seemed just fine with that.  
Ginny crossed her legs and sunk her chin into her palm. A decent ocean breeze was blowing through her open window, allowing her thoughts to run more freely. A night time ponder was exactly what she needed. Away from the everyday chaos her family naturally created and Jimmy's sweet smile when he was coaxing her from any sore topic he wished to avoid. Here in her bedroom, she could objectively pick apart the situation and analyze things to death.  
Which brings us back to the matter at hand.  
  
She JUST didn't get it. Ginny was almost ready to dismiss the entire episode as 'Boys Will Be Boys', but something about Jimmy's hidden but constant depression had her bothered. She couldn't very well let alone something that was causing her best friend to be so upset and want to keep it to himself. What was he so afraid of? Did he have more riding on the new romance than he let on? Or did he-  
  
"Can I, er... talk to you?"  
  
Ginny immediately bolted upright in her bed and scrambled as quietly as she could to her door. Thankfully, she had kept it ajar and whoever it was in the hallway had not bothered to turn on the light. Carefully, she cracked the door open a few more inches.  
  
"Um, sure I guess...Whats up?"  
  
Ginny held her breath as the voices paused, as if knowing she was eavesdropping.  
  
"Not here, someone might hear. Lets go down to the kitchen, no one'll come down there this late."  
  
The redhead cursed under her breath as she heard the footsteps retreating down the hall and through the kitchen stairway. Slow and cautious, Ginny tailed after them. It was obvious now who had been the first voice ; Ron. And Jimmy's American accent was as distinguishable as the day he first came to England.  
After descending halfway down the stairs, Ginny crouched down in the thick shadows, straining her ears.  
  
"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"  
  
Boy, Jimmy sounds nervous. Almost as if he doesn't really want to know....How odd...  
  
"Well..." Sigh." Point blank; Harry doesn't want to be with me."  
  
"_What!"_  
  
"SHH!"  
  
Ginny bit her lip, throwing an unnecessary glance over her shoulder. Eveyone was fast asleep, but it still wouldn't do to have one of them find her curled up on the stairs, listening in on gay love affairs. But honestly, her real life was FAR better than those stories on the WWW.  
  
"Sorry..." A hesitant pause." So, he broke up with you?"  
  
"You have to BE with someone first before they can break up with you..."  
  
"Well he -wait, WHAT? Didn't you two...?"  
  
"Yes. The day after the...um...barbeque, he didn't say much to me. It wasn't until last night that he told me we were never together."  
  
"What? He just came up to you and said 'Hiya Ron! Nice weather, eh? OH! By the way! Just because we shagged, doesn't mean we're together. Well, cya!' ?"  
  
"No...I mean, it was last night. I snuck into your guys' room and thats when he told me."  
  
"Why were you sneaking into our room?"  
  
Ginny could read the pause as if she were in the room with them. Right now, Ron was blushing like mad, and if she knew Jimmy and his actions lately, the brunette was green.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm sorry! Its not like it would've been on YOUR bed or anything."  
  
"More than I needed to hear, Ron."  
  
"Sorry.. Well, anyways, yeah...So, I was just a shag."  
  
"Thats just..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I..I don't know. Its just...weird, is all. Harry's not like that."  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
"Because, I know Harry's love life inside out. He doesn't DO one-night stands. It's just not his style...Did he give you any reason?"  
  
"Reason? For what, not being with me?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Just that he couldn't return my feelings the way I wanted."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He said he was, well..." The tension in the air was making its way to Ginny. Something about the moment made her want to conjure up popcorn... "Harry's in love with someone else."  
  
If it had not been for her superb snooping skills, Ginny would've squawked her indignation along with Jimmy. Instead, she settled for a silent scowl. How DARE Harry not love her brother. Why...he had to be one of the best people around, apart from Jimmy. Harry would only BE so lucky to have Ron. That no good, rotten, two-timing-  
  
"Jesus, Ron..I..I'm..."  
  
"No need to apologize, mate. I mean, how could you have known?"  
  
"But..I know EVERYONE Harry's interested in. There's just no way he could've been sneaking behind my back, seeing someone."  
  
"You're only human, Jimmy."  
  
"Thats it! It must be Cienna! He's still in love with Cienna!"  
  
"But...she's dead..."  
  
" Well, it would make sense, wouldn't it?'  
  
"If you're going to make Cienna a suspect, you might as well throw in Hermione as well."  
  
" Hermione Granger? No...it can't be."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Well, because...SHE wouldn't feel the same way."  
  
"Just because she doesn't love him back doesn't mean he can't love her all the same."  
  
Sigh. " You're a hard one to fix up, dude."  
  
"Shut up, Jimmy. This is serious...I love him."  
  
"I know, I know..." A shuffle, a grumble. "But you bloody well shouldn't."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing. C'mon, its getting close to five, you need to get some sleep."  
  
"Alright. Night, Jim."  
  
"G'night, Ron."  
  
Ginny squeaked and leapt to her feet, dashing back up to her room. With a quiet click, she shut the door behind her and proceeded to collapse on her bed, millions of thoughts racing through her head. Ok, so, Ron and Harry weren't a couple, that wasn't TOO horrible. Ginny could never really grow to accept them as a single unit anyway. Her lingering crush on Harry seemed to be a factor in that.  
_Moving on!  
_Ron was upset all the same. Even if Ginny wasn't ok with them being together, she still wanted her brother to be happy. Now, onto the more perplexing fact; Jimmy. Despite the seriousness of the situation and Ron's broken heart, Jimmy seemed to be taking it VERY well. You'd think if your good friend's longtime love turned out to be a scumball, you'd be a BIT more angry. Then again, the scumball turned out to be Harry...Ginny didn't know very much about the Potters' relationship, but it was obvious the two were very close. Jimmy couldn't really be expected to take sides here. Friend or twin. It wouldn't have been very fair for him to side with either, so, Ginny supposed he was smart in not revealing any favoritism. But what he had said under his breath...Ron might not have heard it, but SHE sure did. The stairwell acoustics made sure of that. 'But you bloody well shouldn't'  
Could she her suspicions been right after all? Could Jimmy be, well, JEALOUS?  
  
"Um, Ginny?"  
  
The girl toppled to the floor with a shriek. Tossing back her copper locks, a hand found its place on her mouth, quieting her.  
  
"Shh, its ok. Its me, Harry."  
  
Ginny choked back a snarl. Her maternal protective instincts were still hyped up. Worrying was NOT a good hobby for a Weasley. "Harry! Merlin, you scared the wits out of me."  
  
Harry smiled sheepishly and helped her to her feet. He didn't really act like the sort who'd shag a person into the ground then walk away. Harry always seemed so...NICE. Needless to say, Ginny was intrigued. "Sorry."  
  
Dusting herself off then plopping down onto her bed once more, she asked, " So, whats up?"  
  
"I need to ask you a few things."  
  
"Uh...sure." _As long as they're not about Ron and his feelings, we're ok.  
_  
"Ok, well...It's Jimmy."  
  
Ginny blinked. She certainly wasn't expecting THAT topic. "W-what about him?"  
  
Harry sighed heavily and sunk into the armchair besides her bed. Raking his ebony locks out of his eyes, he looked the picture of distress. The bright moonlight hit his face in a way that made it blatantly obvious exactly how many sleepless nights he'd endured. " He's been avoiding me, and I think its about...Um..."  
  
"I know what you're talking about."  
  
Harry looked terrified," You do?"  
  
"Yes, but don't worry, we never told anyone."  
  
"_We _? So, he knows?"  
  
Ginny nodded and Harry's face sank. Despite how he had trampled her brother's heart, the redhead couldn't help but pity the fellow Gryffindor.  
  
"I was afraid of that...So...How does he feel about it?"  
  
_Hmmm, good question_. " I'm not sure exactly. He doesn't like to talk about it."  
  
"He doesn't?" Harry inquired, bewildered.  
  
"Yeah. But don't worry, I don't think its because he thinks its WRONG or anything. Its just..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think he was just trying to get used to two people he really cared about, loving eachother."  
  
"But I don't-"  
  
"Love Ron? Yeah. I heard."  
  
"Oh...Are you, well, mad at me?"  
  
Ginny considered the question."Well...I suppose not."  
  
Harry brightened the slightest, "Thank you, Ginny."  
  
She couldn't help but smile back. This was still Harry. The same sweet, hesitant, brave Harry who never knew what he was doing. The same Harry she had always loved. "No problem...Now, back to the topic at hand."  
  
She almost regretted redirecting the conversation, along with her thoughts, back to why he had initially come, for whatever light that had been in Harry's face was gone in an instant. He looked to the ground, his raven bangs shielding his eyes.  
  
"You talk to Jimmy all the time...He must've said SOMETHING about me- er, the situation."  
  
Ginny frowned, "Well, maybe once or twice. All I know is something's bothering him, but he certainly doesn't want to tell ME about it. Maybe you'd have better luck asking him yourself."  
  
Harry seemed to consider this then nodded," I guess your right... I just...I want him to accept me...I don't know what I'd do without Jimmy's love."  
  
Ginny sighed softly, tilting her head and reaching out to take Harry's hand. " Oh, Harry. Jimmy will ALWAYS love you. He looks up to you more than you know. You're his big brother after all."  
  
Harry attempted a smile, but failed. So, Ginny leaned forward so she could see properly into his shadowed jade eyes. For good measure, she gave his amazingly soft hand a tender squeeze. Despite the boy's turmoil, Ginny couldn't help but notice he was in a pair of boxers and one of Jimmy's t-shirts. Merlin, did this guy know how HOT he was?  
"He loves you, Harry."  
  
The brunette slowly locked eyes with the youngest Weasley, swallowing hard," Y-you sure?"  
  
"Positive...Whats not to love, afterall?"  
  
The two paused, enveloped in separate blushes. Before they could stop it, Ginny and Harry were kissing. Not an overly done kiss, but a fantastic one all the same. It shook Ginny into tremors and made Harry lose his breath. But then he pulled away and Ginny was left kissing air. She opened her eyes to see Harry quickly backing away to the door, a shamed and guilt-riden expression on his already troubled face.  
  
"I-I-I..."  
  
"Harry..."  
  
"Thanks for the talk. Um, night. " And he was gone.  
  
Ginny gazed at the vacant door opened to an abyss of darkness. She shivered then crawled beneath her covers. Just before she drifted off to sleep, her fingers grazed her lips softly, just like Harry's lips had done. Just when she thought she'd figured them all out, they went and surprised her. So, for now atleast, she'd dream of a Potter's cherry kisses and later she'd worry over the consequences. 


	7. Double Dare

HULLO!!

I'm just an efficient little ferret, aren't I? Two chapters in one day? HA, thats what procrastination does to you, ladies and gents! I'm supposed to be massaging people, but NO. I wrote instead! MUAHAHAHAHA!... Oh well, you guys benefit. Atleast I'm making people happy.

So make with the happy!!

**Bobby**: I thought I told you to go away. I don't wanna have to be mean here, but if you insist on being a JERKOFF in person, I have no choice but to be a supreme ASS to you online.It's out of my control, you must understand. Thats just how it works. Oh, and thanks, I know its hot.

**yuck**: Patience my youngling! Tis be plentiful of the fountain of Pretty Harry and Lovely Ron. I AM a Harry/Ron shipper.

**Noah:** Well then, I guess I can die happy, neh? But thank you for questioning my sexuality, I appreciate it. I'm drawing pretty ickle flowers all over your name with arrows of blood and gore gouging out the 'O'. Aren't I the sweet wittle faeiry? ::bats eyelashes::

**Jennifer**: You have no idea how much I adore people who use caps to write their review. I feel their excitement and it makes me want to write more. It also makes me want to pat their head ::pats her head::

P.S. I apologize to those of you who actually read these stupid reviews. I know Bobby and Noah personally, so don't feel like I'd bite your head off if you reviewed. I just hate Bobby and Noah's a little priss. Just so you know.

* * *

'Pink ' Aerosmith  
Pt.3 in the Weasley Episodes  
  
(Recap): The Weasleys get treated to a lovely summer vacation in New Guinea, compliments of Fred and George. The ever giving family they are, they ask Harry and Jimmy to join them. Sunshine, sea and skin can do wonders to a person's morale.  
  
Summary:: George and Fred ( Forge and Gred to those who knew them) Weasley were the most infamous set of twins Britain had ever given birth to. But when the arrival of Jimmy made Harry a twin as well, the two Weasleys found their fascination growing to an unhealthy level. Upon the last week of their summer vacation with the Potters, Fred and George decide to challenge the brunettes in a Twin Tournament...The outcome, however, seems a bit more than the four bargained for.  
  
- - - -  
  
"AI WAY! Pinche cavron! IL FAIT FROID!!"  
  
George Weasley peeked one eye open just as Fred dislodged himself in a hurry from his own covers. Heaving himself up, George followed his brother to the adjoining room, the bathroom. For one of the few times in his life, the redhead truely wished he were more awake. For what lay in the room, or rather, brooded with steam coming out the ears, was a VERY irate Jimmy Potter. It was a testament to just how ruffled the brunette was since he was currently engaged in quite the spitting match with the showerhead, speaking in what seemed like every language known to man.  
  
"My my, quite the hothead, aren't we?"  
  
Jimmy spun around, a glower darkening his usually bright features," Quiete way! Du wollte sein bose zu wenn du erhielt ertranken!"  
  
George yawned as Fred stared at the younger boy blankly. "In English now, please."  
  
Jimmy rolled his eyes, as if he couldn't believe anyone wouldn't understand what he'd said, and wrapped a towel round his slender waist." I SAID ' shut up fucker, you'd be angry too if you got drowned!' Honestly, how do you two expect to expand your business if you don't know other languages?"  
  
Fred crossed his arms, "This isn't about our business, its about you bellowing a war screech at-"  
  
George regarded the muggle clock on their nightstand," 5:15."  
  
Jimmy scowled rather impressively ," Then I suggest you either go to bed more early or better yet, TURN OFF THE SHOWERHEAD BEFORE TURNING OFF THE GOD DAMN WATER!"  
  
George leapt back as he got a face full of cedar, but not before seeing quite an interesting sight as the door rebounded and swung open a few inches. But it was enough, it seems, since George Weasley noticed two peculiar things as the ruffled Potter was amidst storming back to his shower. One being Jimmy had a dragon tattoo on the back of his right shoulder that before now, George had never seen before (which was extremely peculiar in itself since the chap had been running round the beach half naked all the time) and two being, Jimmy had a nice back...A VERY nice back. 

()--()-----------

George blinked at this revelation, then ate cedar once more. 

"Do you think he Glamoured it gone?"  
  
"Seems plausible."  
  
" Yes, so it seems. But the more important question is-"  
  
"-WHY."  
  
Fred chewed on a pocky stick as George swung his long legs from the hammock he had been lounging in. The topic of Jimmy's tattoo was an instant hit in the Weasely's world, and the fact that the young brunette had magicked it invisible only fired the twins' curiosity even more. It was like a moth to the flame, a secret to the Weasley twins was. And they had QUITE a few to dabble with over the vacation. Ron's secret, which they KNEW he had since he was so moody and flakey lately. Ron hadn't even told them off for ruining his blankets with their recent experiment that resembled poached eggs. Then there was Ginny who had begun to squeak and blush like mad when round Harry...AGAIN. Like they hadn't had enough of that the first time round. But now she was beginning to squeak round Ron as well, which left them thinking it had nothing to do with a crush. Oh, then there was HARRY. The chap was good at keeping his personal life just that, PERSONAL. He was also unusually wise to their tricks to get him to accidently let slip the fact that he was hiding something.  
But they knew something was up alright, he was far too distant and way too chummy with Percy for nothing to be wrong. No one got that friendly with Percy by choice.  
Now there was Jimmy...  
  
"Maybe it was from an old girlfriend." Fred suggested.  
  
"Yeah, and she told him to get it to prove his love for her or else she'd kill his kneazle-" George went on.  
  
"-Or an evil warlock came back from the past and just happened to stumble upon Jimmy first and branded the chap as his first victim-"  
  
" -Or he's part of a cult that worships dragons."  
  
Fred frowned, chewing on a pocky stick." Yanno, his blond mate's name means dragon."  
  
"Who? That Draco Malfoy chap?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Do you think he made him get it?"  
  
"Its possible. I mean, they were best mates and all."  
  
"What if Malfoy made him an honorary Slytherin!?"  
  
Fred furrowed his brow, thinking hard. He blinked once. Then twice. " What if it was a love pact?"  
  
George scrunched his nose," A LOVE PACT? Between that prissy little snake and OUR Jimmy?"  
  
"Do you remember that time we read Ron's diary a few weeks back and it said something about Jimmy and a Slytherin snogging?"  
  
George blanched." Jimmy snogged Draco Malfoy?? How could he bring himself to stoop so low?"  
  
Fred mulled this over, gnawing on a biscuit, then shrugged." Charity work?"  
  
" Ahhhh."  
  
"Who's doing charity work?"  
  
The two looked over to see their youngest sibling, Ginny, walking out of the back door with an armload of beach towels.  
  
"Obviously you, dear sister."  
  
"Question, oh Glorious One-"  
  
Ginny eyed her brothers as they gathered her workload for her and led the way to the changing room." No, I don't have any money and no I don't want any part in whatever it is you're planning on blowing up."  
  
Fred feigned hurt," Aren't we the suspicious type."  
  
"Surely, it wounds us you think so low of us."  
  
Ginny snorted and started stacking the towels on their proper shelves." Get on with it guys, I still have tons more chores to do."  
  
"Alright, I propose a deal," George offered.  
  
"What kind of deal and can anyone get hurt?" Ginny grunted as she heaved another bundle of towels.  
  
"A deal that would not only free you of such taxing labor, but also make you a sound partner in our future ventures."  
  
Ginny looked over skeptically, then placed her hands on her hips." Alright, I'll bite. What's the deal?"  
  
"We'll finish off your chores-"  
  
"-For the day, that is." George cut in.  
  
"Yes, for the day. In exchange for some prudent information." Fred went on.  
  
Ginny rose a brow at the boys," What KIND of prudent information?"  
  
"Deal first, details later. "Fred replied.  
  
"Well, if its PRUDENT, I don't see the point in telling you anyways if I'm only getting ONE day of no chores," Ginny answered coolly, then went back to her towel stacking.  
  
"She's learning well," George responded.  
  
"Brings a warm tear to my eyes," Fred said as he wiped said tear away.  
  
"But ok, for said prudent information, we'll be willing to anty up the days to two."  
  
"Six."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Five."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Four."  
  
"Three."  
  
"Fred!"  
  
"Deal!"  
  
George scowled at his twin who blushed with embarrassment. Ginny, meanwhile, was grinning victoriously.  
  
"Ooh, you're good little one." George said as he wagged his finger at his younger sister.  
  
"I learned from the best," She grinned." Now, what's the 'prudent information' you need?"  
  
"Well, we assume since you spend enough time with the bloke that you know most about him-"  
  
"Since he and his brother refuse to tell us outright-"  
  
"Which is ridiculous when you think about it-"  
  
"Cause we'll find out anyways-"  
  
"This is fantastic and all, but what's your point?" Ginny cut in, growing impatient.  
  
"Did Jimmy ever snog ol' Ferret face back at Hogwarts? And if so, did they have a fling as well that would move Jimmy to brand himself with a new tattoo?" Fred asked bluntly.  
  
Ginny blinked." W-wha...?"  
  
"Did. Jimmy. Ever. Snog. Draco. Malfoy?" George repeated, a bit slower this time incase Ginny wasn't following along. She WAS young after all.  
  
Ginny again blinked, then laughed straight in their faces." JIMMYhahahaand MALFOYhehehahahaSNOGGING??hahahahaha!"  
  
"We're glad you find this all amusing, but we need to know." Fred replied shortly.  
  
Ginny fanned herself, shaking her head." Whatever gave you two the impression that Jimmy and Malfoy were anything but friends?"  
  
"Well, the rumors for one-"  
  
"Apparently Jimbo snogged some Slytherin at the Graduation Party-"  
  
"And Malfoy DOES seem to have a particular liking to the lad-"  
  
" And vise-versa we suppose-"  
  
" And Malfoy IS a flaming pouf-"  
  
"In addition to the dragon tattoo on Jimmy's back-"  
  
"Which, incase you didn't know, is Draco in latin-"  
  
"Hence, our blond friend comes in."  
  
Ginny could only gape, the reeling twin-language making things more difficult to process." Wait...WHAT? He has a tattoo? And he snogged a SLYTHERIN?"  
  
George shook his head sympathetically," I think we broke her this time, Fred."  
  
"I think so too, George."  
  
"Wha-...But-...How-..." Ginny stuttered.  
  
"Come George, let us leave our sputtering sibling to her own devices."  
  
"Indeed. Sorry to trouble you, dear sister."  
  
The two strode out of the hut, shaking their heads and mumbling things to the likings of 'Naivity is so fragile' and ' If only Hogwarts had a sex education class' before they heard a distinct shriek.  
  
"HEY! YOU TWO AREN'T GETTING OUT OF CHORES THAT EASILY!"  
  
Then they ran.

()--()-----------

Things were obviously going to take a BIT more brainpower than the twins were accustomed to. Jimmy was secretive and no one, not even their darling baby sister, could get a thing out of him. Jimmy was sly, he was sharp, he was clever, he was about to fall prey to one of the twins' more brilliant plans.  
If it was one thing the twins knew about Potters, it was that they couldn't stand to have their reputation for being brave or proud tampered with. Jimmy was no exception. And also with the help of a reluctant Ron, they figured out Jimmy was a downright sucker for dares. He couldn't bear to be outdone or proved wrong.  
And THAT was how they'd get the information they needed.  
  
So, it all came together that night at dinner. Jimmy and Ginny were chatting away about the pictures they took, Harry was conversing with Percy and Charlie about the village's fabulous selection of rare herbology ingredients, and Ron was trying to outdo Bill's length of time he could stick a spoon to his nose. All in all, Fred and George were embarrassed to call these people family. But nonetheless.  
  
"AHEM!"  
  
All noise gradually came to a halt as the dinner party turned their attentions to George.  
  
"If I may have your complete attention please. Thank you. "George stood and made a grand gesture of bowing. "With the aid of my fabulous twin brother, Fredrick Polonius Weasley, we have put together an event of magnanimous magnitude."  
  
"Ok Caesar, can we get to the point before I start growing ear hair?" Jimmy interrupted.  
  
"AGAIN," Harry added on with a snicker.  
  
George shot the boy a **Look** (that seemed to be entirely hereditary) and continued," Funny you should be so eager to hear these tidings, young sir, since they involve not only you, but your brother as well."  
  
The two brunettes exchanged a wary but intrigued look.  
  
Fred stood up and pointed dramatically at the twins, "We, the Weasley Twins, challenge you, the Potter twins, to a Twin Tournament!"  
  
The silence that ensued could've very well indicated that wax statues sat around the circular table and not actual people who'd just heard revolutionary news.  
  
Fred waved his hand around a bit, trying to get the desired reaction." Twin Tournament!"  
  
Molly quirked her head with a slight frown, " And what exactly is that?"  
  
"Glad you asked Mother dearest! "George grinned; glad they got SOMEONE talking finally. Honestly, these people would do horribly in actual conversational situations." A Twin Tournament is a challenging game that involves TWINS."  
  
"And being the founding twins in this country, George and I thought it was up to us to uphold our valiant title as BEST Twins of England."  
  
Jimmy ruffled. As predicted. " What! BEST twins? Where the hell do you-"  
  
"Which is why we hold the Twin Tournament, our indignant comrade." George went on.  
  
"What does it consist of exactly?" Harry inquired, curiosity getting the better of him.  
  
Honestly, Potters were so predictable it wasn't even fun anymore...Actually, no, it was still ENTIRELY fun.  
  
"The Tournament will be held in a series of 4 challenges-"  
  
"Which have been prerecorded as to pertaining to what makes the BEST twin relationship-"  
  
"-The first being a mind-reading contest."  
  
"Mind reading?" Jimmy exclaimed.  
  
"Yes," Fred replied calmly." Everyone knows that twins can read each other's minds. That is, every GOOD pair of twins should."  
  
The blush that formed on the Potters' faces was priceless.  
  
"Which is so simple-"  
  
"If you're a good twin."  
  
Jimmy scowled more predominantly.  
  
"Next we have the Physique contest-"  
  
"In which both pairs are required to run a relay of sorts-"  
  
"Third, we have a riveting game of hide-and-go-seek-"  
  
"Which tests the abilities each twin has to 'feeling' their brother-"  
  
"And lastly, we have a skill off, which has yet to be determined. The pair in the lead with wins gets to pick the challenge." George finished off.  
  
Their audience was either highly captivated or mute. They were hoping on the side of captivated.  
  
"So. Do you accept?" Fred asked.  
  
Everyone looked to the brunette pair, eyeing them eagerly.  
  
"Unless, of course, you concede to our evident superiority." George said with a smirk. He knew he had them when Jimmy bristled and Harry's cheeks flushed with indignation.  
  
"You're on!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"And we'll wipe the floor with you, too!" Jimmy added on.  
  
The pair bumped fists and grinned broadly at each other, while the Weasley twins grinned their own smiles.  
  
"Alright then. The tournament is officially on, no backing out."  
  
"We wouldn't give you the pleasure," Harry said with an impressive sneer that rivaled Severus Snape's.  
  
The redheads smiled agreeably and tucked back into their meal. But before anyone got anything of substance into their mouths, Fred spoke up one last time." Oh, we almost forgot, the losing party not only gets deemed Worst Twins in Britain, but also must forfeit any one deed to the winning pair's liking. Take for example, if we won, you Jimmy would have to tell us about a certain...DRAGON."  
  
A fork clattered to the plate, a tan face paled, green eyes glared, a pair of grins shone in their triumph.  
  
Yes. Potters were indeed predictable.

()--()-----------

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. He looked uncomfortable. He probably was. It's not like having an aluminum hat on your head made you feel like a god or anything. The thing wasn't really necessary, but it at least made it seem that the Weasley twins knew what they were doing.  
Fred scratched at the silvery cap, poking at it to a more comfortable position.  
  
"Fred, cut it out, you'll knock it over, " George reprimanded from his seat exactly 10 feet away.  
  
"It's bloody well burning a hole in my skull." Fred replied, scrunching his nose and scratching at the cap again.  
  
"Yes, can we get on with it, please? I think I'm picking up radio signals from alien life forms, " Harry grumbled, trying to situate his thick, long, ebony locks out of his eyes but not bunched up under the metal hat either.  
  
" Hope they're nice," Ron added on from his seat amongst the spectators.  
  
George cleared his throat importantly, growing annoyed at the unprofessionalism of his family. Ron quieted down, but still sniggered behind his hand at the absurdity of the situation. George glared at him, then brought his attention to the rest of his family sitting in the cool shade of the veranda. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jimmy fidgeting in his lawn chair and swiveling his baseball hat backwards. George thought the look would look more fetching on Harry since he has longer hair, but probably Jimmy pulled it off more naturally. Anyways.  
  
"Thank you all for coming out to see the first challenge of the Twin Tournament. Now, if I could all have you stand and recite the International Wizarding anthem."  
  
A series of groans and protests caused George to halt his wand to his heart and glare at them. Mr. Weasley looked most put out as he cut his ear-splitting droning to a sharp closure.  
  
"Just start already! My skin's melting off my bones, " Harry complained, trying to cover his bare legs with the minimal shade of the chair he was perched on.  
  
"Fine fine!" George said. " We'll start pair by pair. First, we start off with something simple. If the beautiful Gineva Weasley would please come on stage."  
  
Ginny stood up, a stack of large cards tucked under her arms, and took a place in between George and Jimmy.  
  
"Having picked who will send the message, and who will receive, the senders will now be faced with relaying these images to their counterparts. As to avoid any issues with foul play, I have magicked these silvery metal devices to properly block all spells that would cause the purpose of this challenge to fail. Ginny, if you would please."  
  
Ginny sighed at the dramatics, and paced over to check that the hats were indeed silvery and metal and stupid. Then she took her spot back in between the brunette and redhead.  
  
"Thank you. A previous galleon toss showed that the Weasleys go first." George went on.  
  
" Sure is easy to win with a double-headed coin," Jimmy grumbled.  
  
George adamantly ignored the comment and rose his hands in the air." Let the Tournament begin!"  
  
Both pairs stood up and turned their chairs facing away from each other. Ginny walked over and the challenge indeed begun as she held up the first card (a lion) to George.  
  
About 30 minutes later, a great deal of amusement on the audience's part and a temper tantrum from Jimmy, the challenge was over. The panel of judges were tallying up the points in regards to correctly received images. Jimmy was grumpy. Harry was hot. George was calm and Fred was recovering from heat stroke.  
  
Bill, Percy and Mrs. Weasley walked back over to the others, paper in tow. After handing it to Ginny, she stood in front of everyone. "And the verdict is..." Ginny opened the folded piece of paper, eyes darting down to the score. " With a score of 8 correct guesses out of 10...It's the Weasleys!"  
  
Fred and George clapped victoriously, their family members cheering along with them despite the traitorous glares they received from the Potters.  
  
"Get some rest my lads, for tomorrow is the relay! " Fred said happily.

()--()-----------

"No. No no no. I put my foot down right here and now."  
  
George sighed and patted Ron's back, " Calm down Ronnekins. It's just a little race."  
  
"In the nude!" Ron screamed.  
  
Fred looked unconvinced," Wearing togas HARDLY classifies as being 'nude'."  
Jimmy shifted the cloth over his shoulder a bit wider and let Harry shift behind him for a tad more coverage.  
  
"What if it falls off? What if it gets snagged on something? What if someone sees something!" Ron went on, ranting like a little 5 year-old.  
  
Fred rubbed the stitch between his eyes as George sighed at his younger brother. "Just sit down and enjoy the show."  
  
Ron was somehow maneuvered back to the sidelines with the remainder of his family, but not looking too happy about it.  
  
Harry sighed and walked over to the twins, tugging down his white fabric, " Tell me again why we're wearing these ridiculous outfits?"  
  
"They're not ridiculous, Harry. They're ceremonial." Fred replied, holding his gold baton as if it were an Oscar.  
  
"I'm going with ridiculous," Jimmy muttered, lengthening out his toga as best he could.  
  
"And THAT'S why we're in the lead," George said with a grin. He couldn't help smiling wider as the brunettes fumed.  
  
Jimmy scowled. "I still say something was fishy about that. And don't think I didn't see the little hand move-"  
  
"WELL! Lets begin, shall we? Don't want to be miss out on the Hide-And-Go-Seek!" Fred called out cheerily. Jimmy tried to protest, but was ushered to the starting line by George.  
  
"Ginny, if you would." George said, manhandling the Potter into position.  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and stood up, not too happy about being the unofficial hostess of this nonsense." The relay challenge consists of 3 parts. The first, a 3-legged man race, in which both twins will hurry down the marked length of the beach with 2 of their legs tied together. The second part will be the wheelbarrow in which one twin will crawl forward on their hands while the other holds their legs up. And the last part will be an all out sprint to the finish line. Note that each part must be a complete circuit to and from the marked point and each twin must cross the finish line."  
  
"Thank you Gin, you always WERE my favorite sister, "Fred grinned cheekily.  
  
"I'm your ONLY sister you dolt," Ginny commented as she stood just to the side of the twins.  
  
"Wheelbarrow...What those muggles come up with," Mr. Weasley chuckled as he sat back in his chair.  
  
"Alright, " Ginny started, raising her wand. "On my count, 3-2-1- GO!"  
  
With a flurry of red sparks shooting into the air, the two pairs were off. For the most part, Harry and Jimmy worked well as a unit. Their motions seemed fluid as if they were used to moving as a single person. But Fred and George had seniority. Plus an entire night of practicing. Whatever means to an end. Fred tapped George subtlety as they rounded the floating buoy; their family's cries of encouragement a background noise. "Oi, they're staying with us."  
  
George looked to his left and, sure enough, Harry was biting his lip and Jimmy was gripping onto Harry's shoulder. " Well, we can't have that, now can we?"  
  
No one saw the wand that appeared behind Fred's back, nor George flicking said wand. But they DID see two Potters falling face first in a lot of sand after stumbling over seemingly nothing.  
  
"KEEP GOING HARRY!"  
  
"YOU'RE ALMOST THERE JIMMY!"  
  
"IF I FIND OUT YOU TWO CHEATED, I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!"  
  
"Such family unity," George commented as he and Fred staggered over the starting line and furiously tugged at their rope.  
  
But with no time at all, their brunette competitors stumbled over besides them, kicking up substantial turf. Each yanked and pulled and pleaded with their bindings to loosen, but thanks to Ginny's powerful (and somewhat disturbing) binding spell, the boys were rendered 3-legged.  
  
"Bleeding hell! Can't we use a spell?" Harry grumbled as he tugged uselessly at the ropes.  
  
"No, it's against the rules. This is a PHYSICAL challenge after all," Bill said as he stood behind Ginny, not bothering to hide his amusement.  
  
"Bugger physical!" Harry growled, collapsing onto his bum in defeat. Jimmy, as a result, toppled onto his stomach and over Harry's legs.  
  
Casting a glare over at his twin, Jimmy muttered icily," Thanks."  
  
George was all about to just give up and try gnawing at the ropes with his teeth when Fred whipped out his wand and yelled," Dissendium!" A series of protests echoed through the Weasleys' ears. George stood up and Fred flopped onto his belly." We never said magic was a limitation to our physical capabilities."  
  
"Bollocks! " Ron shouted, forgetting about language around his parents, or upsetting his chair for that matter." You two are just CHEATING!"  
  
Fred and George ignored the accusation altogether and set about concentrating on getting Fred's hands to not slip in the sand.  
  
Almost immediately after however, Harry dropped to the ground a little ways behind them as Jimmy scooped up his legs. Fred managed to stabilize himself, miraculously, and started waltzing along with George steadying his legs under his arms.  
  
"You should probably make it look as if you don't know what you're doing," George huffed at him.  
  
Fred paused for a moment, pondering the sky and its various cloud formations before continuing on.  
  
"Good show," George muttered.  
  
Fred smiled and chanced a look back at their opponents, who weren't getting along too well. Harry had the upper body coordination to handle the challenge, but Jimmy was having trouble properly tucking his brothers legs under his arms in such a way that caused them to actually stay put. So all in all, they weren't making much progress. How unfortunate.  
So, as a show of good sportsmanship, the redheads gave Harry and Jimmy a jovial victory sign as they embarked on their return journey from the buoy. Enraged at this display of otherwise good-naturedness, the Potters hurried along, slipping, sliding and Harry eating more than his fill of New Guinean seashore.  
By an act of such diabolical nature, the Weasley twins were deeply saddened to return to the starting line to see Ron's face flushed and his mouth held open in speechless rage.  
  
"Why you two conceited, fig-headed PRATS!" Ron exclaimed, his thin t-shirt riding up his stomach as he flailed his arms about in a mad-man fashion. Honestly, they had such horrible family members. But evidently, the distraction was enough to allow the Potters to properly catch up.  
  
George was beginning to worry. He quickly grabbed his twin by the arm and hauled him bodily into a run. Unfortunately, it wasn't soon enough for right alongside them, were Harry and Jimmy. What they lacked in witty tricks and self-assured confidence, they more than made up for in pure physical fitness. The 18 year olds wanted to avoid this. George had seen the Potters in action at their old Hogwarts Quidditch matches. Fred had seen them chase Ron and Charlie around the house when they had stolen Jimmy's underpants. The Weasleys had not wanted this to turn into an ACTUAL test of strength. Not that they were weaklings or anything. Cause they WEREN'T, thank you very much. Its just what with them being out of the exercise loop since they graduated, it left the older twins on the better side of, well, TIRED.  
  
And Jimmy and Harry were pulling ahead faster than anticipated. The four rounded the buoy, the brunettes a bit faster since they had somehow mastered the art of digging their feet in properly to traction the loose sand better. George was worried.  
In a desperate attempt to remedy the situation, Fred instantly latched onto Jimmy's toga, deliberately making it loosen from the knot it was in. Jimmy yelped, slammed into George who had been about to sprint ahead during the distraction, and sent the both of them careening into a bush. Harry gave a shout as Fred quickly sped on, leaving his twin on good faith that he'd follow. Unfortunately for him though, George was currently entangled in Jimmy's toga, along with the lad himself.  
  
"You dirty cheating bastard!" Jimmy screeched, a bit too shrilly for George's liking.  
  
"Get me out! Get me out! It's trying to kill me!" George yelled, helplessly waving his arms around as he only made the situation worse.  
  
"I knew it! I KNEW you were cheating!!" Ron hollered from the finish line.  
  
"C'mon Jim! Get up!" Harry screamed, hopping on his heels like an anxious little bunny.  
  
Jimmy growled as George kicked his shins," I'm kind of BUSY at the moment, Harry! Maybe if you HELPED, it'd go a little faster!"  
  
"This is so exciting. Wish I would've thought to bring peanut brittle," Mr. Weasley commented to Percy and Mrs. Weasley from his conjured recliner.  
  
Harry dropped to his knees and aided, or so he thought, in the task of untangling George in his brother's robes, or vise-versa, whichever came first he supposed. And evidently, it was the prior. For his hand was finally able to yank a freed Jimmy from the mass of Weasley and white fabric before sprinting across the finish line. Well, Harry crossed the finish line, Jimmy continued on in a state of absolute horror as he dashed into the house, his white briefs and a tan back the last the family saw as he disappeared inside.  
  
Fred ambled over to the bush his counterpart was currently occupying and bent down. With a sigh and a shake of his head he said," Don't think we won, did we?"  
  
Jimmy wasn't the only one to be seen running away in a state of absolute horror that day.

()--()-----------

"Oh come on, its not like anyone saw anything." Harry tried.  
  
Fred snickered as Jimmy's face went crimson, then looked the other way as furious green eyes settled on him. The four of them were currently resting on the warm sand, post-Hide and Go Seek. Needless to say, Fred and George won. Jimmy was, of course, still upset about his brief encounter with flashing and the redheads were making his life hell because of it.  
  
" I'd be proud if I were you Jimbo." George said, trying to keep a straight face.  
  
"Yeah, I think Ginny almost passed out," Fred chuckled.  
  
"Oh har har," Jimmy growled, shifting beneath the big beach towel he and Harry were hiding under." Yuck it up you clowns. Cause I'll get you when you LEAST expect it."  
  
"And that's where you'll fail, my lad-"  
  
"Cause we ALWAYS expect it."  
  
Jimmy brooded, bringing his legs up to his chest. Defeat and humiliation all in one day were NOT good indicators of a happy Potter.  
  
"So, why don't we just cut to the chase, huh? What's the last challenge?" Harry inquired, leaning comfortably into his brother.  
  
"Yes, what mortifying and demeaning task will you come up with now?" Jimmy said, eyeing them angrily.  
  
The Weasleys exchanged a look. They had been plotting this since the beginning. What was the one thing BOTH Potters were atrocious at? What single thing would neither boy be able to do despite their urge to win? What ONE task could bring those Potters to their knees, in turn giving Fred and George full access to the divine secret of Jimmy's tattoo?  
  
"My good sirs-"  
  
"We will have a dance off."

()--()-----------

George shifted his weight against the bar, downing another shot of whatever it was they were serving. He REALLY needed to get plastered for this. Fred was hovering somewhere nearby, with some local girl or another, having a grand ol' time while poor George here was worrying away about the oncoming dance-off that was being held in about, ohhh...5 MINUTES!  
Ok, so, he wasn't as confident as he'd like to be, but that went without saying. Harry and Jimmy ALWAYS made him slightly nervous. One just never knew what they were capable of. Harry being the new Gryffindor seeker back in his first year was evidence of that.  
This final leg of the Tournament was to be held informally at a nightclub in the populated section of the village. Ron, Bill and Charlie were playing judges this time since neither their parents nor Percy wanted to drag themselves to a 'cesspool of sin' as Percy put it, and a 'hodgepodge of flesh and youth' as Mum put it. So, the three were perched atop barstools at a table nearby, sipping on drinks and probably not worrying about whether they were going to get pounced or doing the pouncing tonight. Well, not any that George wanted to know about.  
OK! Onto less disturbing topics!  
"Has anyone seen Ginny?" George asked as he approached the panel of tipsy judges.  
  
Ron hiccupped and Charlie giggled. Bill rose a brow at George and jerked his chin in the direction of the dance floor.  
  
"Last I saw, she was warming up our friend Potter there."  
  
George looked over and a bad taste settled in his mouth. He really didn't need to see his baby sister bumping and grinding with Jimmy Potter. Honestly. It just wasn't a thing brothers needed to witness. So, he looked away and folded his arms, tapping his toe and trying not to look anything less than breezily self-assured.  
  
"Bit nervous, eh?" Harry yelled somewhere near his shoulder.  
  
George flinched before turning a winning grin to the boy. "Why would I be nervous? Fred could dance the pants off anyone, INCLUDDING Jimbo over there."  
  
Harry merely smiled and took a spot next to Bill at the table.  
  
What was that? What was with the stupid smile? Ok, calm down there Georgie. No need to get excited. It was JUST a smile...even if it DID make my knees buckle a bit. "FRED! Lets get started!"  
  
Fred ambled over, slightly put out that he had to cut things short with a particularly cute blond. Jimmy squirmed through the crowd, followed closely by Ginny, towards the gathering group.  
  
George cleared out a decent sized space for the event and turned to the group." Alright, here we are, at the FINAL and LAST challenge for this year's Twin Tournament. The score, which stands at Weasleys-2, Potters-1, meant that Team Weasley got the honor of picking today's challenge. So, with no further adieu, let the Dance-Off begin!"  
  
A mulled applause followed the speal and the dances got in their places. Now, personally, George had never taken part in a dance-off. But Fred assured him he had and he knew what he was doing.  
And as far as he knew, the Potters were ignorant as well.  
  
Well, THAT theory flew out the window pretty quick. George was stumped to discover when the 2 men began dancing, that not only could Jimmy keep up with Fred, but he could also excel. The brunette was dipping and swirling and thrusting like he'd seen no one else do. The boy was practically liquid on that dance floor.  
  
Fred was less than pleased. His face set in grim determination, no longer prancing through this task with little to no effort. He wasn't about to let his brother down. No sirree. Even as Jimmy yanked Harry onto the floor with him did Fred get deterred. This was HIS competition and he'd be damned if he lost any goal he set out to achieve. So, he grabbed George's hand and pulled him beside him.  
  
George was frantic. He couldn't dance! Oh, sure, he could hop around a fair bit and pretend he was on fire, but he couldn't actually DANCE. Not the way Jimmy and Harry were dancing, like their bones were suddenly ripped from their bodies and their flesh was flapping in the wind. George wasn't feeling too confident just now.  
  
Fred looked over mid-dip at his brother and seeing the crushed look on his face made him want to punch both Potters, even IF they were their good friends. This was George's plan and Fred hated seeing anything George set out to do fail. It was as if HE'D failed as well. Well, he wasn't having any of that. So, he pulled George to him and shouted over the music," Follow my lead."  
  
George nodded appreciatively and was startled to feel Fred's body against his. It wasn't like he'd never been this close to his brother before, it was just startling is all. The lad could warn someone when he was about to start humping them. Sure they'd won due to their proximity, George glanced over to find that not even a piece of paper could fit in between the Potter boys. The two had their arms tangled round each other, Jimmy's face completely buried in Harry's neck. And they moved as if there were only one of them.  
Both Weasleys were stunned and speechless, unable to think of anything to do in response to this.  
They just couldn't possibly beat whatever it was that the Potters had between them that made it so they felt completely natural holding one another so sinfully close.  
So, the two redheads sighed and returned to their surroundings. With a slight note of triumph, they realized they had drifted somewhat into the thick of the crowd. It took some skillful maneuvering to get back to their brothers and sister.  
  
"Where's Harry and Jimmy?" Ginny asked putting down her drink, which for the time being, George was going to believe was soda.  
  
"Here we are," Jimmy called, coming up behind Fred with Harry on his heels.  
  
"Alright, here's our verdict," Charlie began, pushing his empty glass forward." The dancing was great, on both parts, but unfortunately, we DO have to choose one pair."  
  
"Oh bloody hell, Charlie, drag it out will you?" Ron scolded, then turned to the set of anxious twins before him. "It goes to Harry and Jimmy, hands down. You guys win the Twin Tournament."  
  
The brunettes whooped in victory, did a jig or two then whooped again. Fred and George were less than amused.  
  
"It's alright mates," Harry said grinning.  
  
"Yeah, we won't have you do anything TOO horrifying," Jimmy chuckled in return.  
  
"But do the words 'naked' and 'village' mean anything to you?" Harry asked, head cocked and innocent smile in place.  
  
Fred took it like a man, but George was less than mature as he leapt at Harry with a handful of cheesepuffs in tow.

()--()-----------

"They cheated, I know they did." Fred grumbled as he stepped out from the path onto the beach.  
  
"They won fair and square, Fred. And we don't back out of any deals," George replied.  
  
"Sure we do. Loads of times."  
  
George pondered this then sighed," No. We have to do it. They'd only come after us for the rest of our lives anyways."  
  
"They're lucky I'm so darn proud. Else I'd let them have it," Fred complained, pushing his ginger hair out of his eyes with a 'humph'.  
  
George rolled his chcolate eyes and sighed, pulling his sweater tight against the cool night breeze. It had been such a long day. 3 events all ending in tragedy. He didn't have any energy left to pretend he wasn't cold or he didn't feel up to joking around. Merlin, what an awful turn of events. George felt absolutely lousy, and they didn't even find out why Jimmy had that tattoo or why he kept it hidden! How HORRID!  
  
"You cold?"  
  
"Of course I am you dolt," George snapped.  
  
Fred looked over at him in surprise, stopping with a piece of chocolate half way to his mouth." What was that? Are you talking to yourself again?"  
  
George frowned at him, opening his mouth to retort irritably.  
  
"I wish I would've brought my sweatshirt with me, it's colder than I thought it'd be."  
  
George blinked, then grabbed Fred's arm and dragged him up behind a large palm tree, from which they peeked around. Sat on a rather small beach towel about two feet from the surf were none other than Harry and Jimmy. Feeling rather vengeful for the spirited thrashing he'd endured, George was about to set about pestering their serene vacation when Harry looped an arm round Jimmy's shoulders, to which Jimmy responded by laying his head on Harry's shoulder. Normally, George or Fred wouldn't care about brotherly P.D.O.A (public displays of affection), hell, they'd been victim to a hug or two in their day. But the Potters were something else. They hugged a little too close, a little too long. And the way Jimmy kept sighing and Harry kept running his fingers up and down Jimmy's arm made something in George's stomach knot.  
  
Fred yanked his twin back behind the palm, face twisted in concern," I don't think we should be here, George."  
  
The redhead stared for a moment, trying to discern the gnawing sensation in his gut. Was it...curiosity? Well, if curiosity killed the cat, then give him catnip and put him to death." C'mon, Fred. We might just find out about that tattoo. I know the hints we dropped to Harry got him interested. He might just do all the work for us."  
  
"Yeah, after we went through all that trouble coming up with the Twin Tournament," Fred said, scowling.  
  
"It was fun though, you must admit that."  
  
Fred scrunched his mouth to the side, shifting his weight, "Alright, FINE. It WAS pretty fun. Especially when Harry face- planted in that patch of seaweed or when Jimmy got chased by a swarm of bumblebees or when-"  
  
"Ok, Fred, I get the picture. Now lets get back to the task at ha-"  
  
"Jimmy, stop it, someone could see."  
  
George blanched and Fred turned white. But both boys hurried to peer round their shielding tree. From what they could see, the Potters were in the same position, except that now Harry was looking at something on Jimmy's face.  
His lips moved, but try as they might, the Weasleys couldn't hear for the life of them what Harry had said. But they sure heard Jimmy.  
  
"We can't! Not again! Are you crazy!?"  
  
"Shhhh! Not so loud you nut. And it's not as if I meant right here and now. Just, yanno...SOMETIME in the future."  
  
Jimmy looked uncertain, as if he were struggling with something quite difficult. That in and of itself was most unnerving." I don't know, Har...We shouldn't have done it in the first place. I mean, what would anyone think if we were caught? And I don't think-"  
  
Harry leaned in, whispered something in Jimmy's ear, making the boy's green eyes widen, then plummet to half-mast as if he'd suddenly become very drowsy.  
  
It frustrated George to no end that he couldn't hear what was being said. Damn all the times not to have a pair of Extendable Ears handy.  
  
"H-harry...Harry, _please_..." Jimmy groaned, his voice full of anguish and despair and...and...desire???  
  
Fred's hand leapt onto George's, his eyes widening in shock, his mouth agape. George was rendered speechless once more, something vile rising in the back of his throat and thoughts.  
  
Harry slid his hand down Jimmy's jaw, tilting it and brushing the fine hairs that made up Jimmy's side burns. Jimmy shuddered.  
  
Fred made a sound and fled from sight, leaving George alone to deal with the horrifying truth before him; Harry and Jimmy, Best Twins in Britain, were sitting on the moonlit beach of New Guinea, kissing...  
  
And he was ok with it. 


	8. Much To Atone For

Hullo my pepz!,

Tis I, the All Knowing Oz, here to bring you another delicious chapter of Gravity. haha. Delicious. Like it's a dessert or something...WHICH IT IS! WOOOOO!!!

O.O

Silence. I've had two mugs of cocoa and a danish. Nuff said.

Now, I'm not too sure of where to take things from here, romanctical-relationships wise. So, if I could have your opinions on who you'd prefer to see paired up permanently, I'd be much obliged. Otherwise, I'm keeping my original plan, as forewarned in the story's character pairing. I KNOW! Not alot of Harry/Ron, Jimmy/Draco, is there? MuHAHAHAHAHA!

Ok, moving on.

**YEHUDIS**: Haha, well I'm gladyou got all happily hooked onto Harry Potter, its a lovely drug. The ratings are just a must-have since some people are tooretarded to realize that they're reading a R-rated story or something that contains slashand they pitch a fit if we authors don't forewarn them of their oncoming stupidity.::shrugs::  
Yes, the dance contest was fun, wasn't it? Potter twins all the way mahn!!!! And I'm sorry for the cliffies. I'llbring flowersto your funeral, ok?

* * *

_'Motorcycle Driveby'_ Third Eye Blind 

Summary: Back from their vacation, The Potter twins find themselves in a VERY bad position: Right in the middle of a furious Weasley feud. Summer flings are one thing, but when serious emotions are involved, its open assault on the brothers.  
Can Harry and Jimmy make amends before the friendships with the Weasley youths are ruined?

- - - -

Harry Potter stretched languidly on the couch in front of the purple bay windows. Something about a lazy afternoon seeping through a lavender-tinted filter made him want to curl up like a cat and doze. But unfortunately, a great deal of noise coming from the West Wing of Black Manor was keeping him undeniably awake. So, despite the fact that he was sleepy and that he probably didn't want to know what was going on anyway, Harry unfolded himself from the sofa and made his way out of the sunroom.

The grand House of Black had come a long ways from its original state back in his fifth year of Hogwarts. There were no more cobwebs, no more screaming portraits and certainly no more grotesque tapestries depicting Muggle sacrifices. The beautiful manor was back to being as wondrous as it was probably meant to be. Sirius would've been pleased.  
Harry gave a heavy sigh remembering his Godfather's current condition; lying in a coma with close to no chance of recovery. It always caused a horrible ache in Harry's heart.  
His attention, however, was brought back to reality with an abrupt noise coming from down the hall. Or, more like something fall-

"Why you FILTHY, HORRID, DISGUSTING-!"

"FRED!"

"DISPICABLE, ROTTEN, DETESTABLE-"

"Fred, PLEASE !"

"And look! The other one's here as well!"

Harry blinked, completely taken aback by the sight before him; George and Fred Weasley were standing in the middle of the Entrance Foyer while Jimmy hunched over a chair, holding his cheek. Harry frowned and instinctively went to his twin's side.

"You stay there!" Fred roared, making Harry stop short with shock.

George sighed, trying to get a better grip on his brother's arm. "Fred, I said stop it."

Fred turned on his kin with a deadly glare," Don't you tell me to stop it, George. I don't care if they're family or not, what we saw was WRONG and they have to know they can't be doing that sort of thing."

"What thing? What's wrong?" Harry asked, bewildered and almost frightened for his well-being. The Weasley twins NEVER got angry. Least not for anything serious.

Fred whipped around and pointed an accusing finger at the brunettes." That DISGUSTING display of immorality last week! THAT'S what's wrong!"

Harry stared. "W-what?"

"YOU SNOGGED! YOU TWO FECKING _SNOGGED_ !" Fred screamed.

Harry felt the color draining from his face. He honestly didn't think anyone had seen. No one had ACTED like they'd seen. Hell, none of the Weasleys, aside from Percy, had really talked to them since then. Looking over, he finally realized what a state Jimmy was in. Raven hair tousled and clothes askew from an obvious scuffle. And the cheek he was holding still was bright red, evidence of a brutal punch. Harry's heart won out better judgment and he went over to flank his twin, rubbing his arm protectively. It wasn't Jimmy's fault anyways and Harry wasn't about to let the boy take ANY of the blame.

'No we didn't, you must've saw things.' was what he MEANT to say. What came out was, "That's none of your business."

Fred looked as if he'd swallowed a salamander. It took all of George's strength to keep him at bay. "YOU VILE, REVOLTING, PUTIRD LITTLE GITS!"

Jimmy actually flinched beneath Harry's palm, and the older youth had to hold himself back as well. Harry glowered defiantly at the Weasleys and pulled Jimmy into a shielding embrace, "If you're just going to insult me and physically abuse my brother, then get the HELL out of our house."

George's eyes seemed to soften at both the act and the words, " Harry, please, we just came here to talk."

"Talk! TALK! Maybe _you _did, you big ponce, but I came here to give them a good thrashing! They KISSED, George. Do you understand that! Harry and Jimmy POTTER **kissed**!" Fred hollered, looking the better of fanatical.

Harry simply guided his trembling twin away from the harsh language towards the sanctuary of the kitchen.

"Harry, PLEASE, wait!"

"_GET OUT _!" Turning round with reflexes akin to his Seeker training, Harry brandished his wand and immediately banished the redheads off of his property. With adrenaline still pumping in his veins, Harry steered Jimmy onto a seat and prepared to make a pot of tea for them. But he got no further than a step or two when he suddenly pitched forward, slamming into the counter. Turning round, wide-eyed, he saw that Jimmy had thrown himself at him and didn't look as if he were letting go anytime soon.  
So, Harry somehow managed to maneuver around so at least he was facing the boy, then wrapped his arms around him. Jimmy clutched with manic fervor and they slid down to the floor where he curled up into Harry, sobbing painful tears. All Harry could do was hold him, rock him and coo useless words of comfort.

"They know...They _know_...How could we...How **COULD** we??...They know..."

He didn't know if it was Jimmy saying it or his own thoughts, but it didn't really matter at that point. Harry buried his face in the nest of soft ebony locks, spilling tears of agony himself.

()--()-----------

Orange sunlight was streaming into the kitchen when Harry opened his tired eyes. They felt swollen and scratchy for some reason, and everything was insanely blurry. Shifting with an unhappy grunt, Harry felt something shift on his lap and something tickle his chin. Looking down groggily, he realized it was none other than Jimmy. The boy stirred momentarily, buried his face deeper in Harry's throat, and dozed on.

In a flash, the entire afternoon replayed itself in Harry's aching mind. The yelling, the accusing, the shaming, the crying, the self-mutilation. Harry hugged his little brother tighter against himself, hoping to drive away all the words that were running through his head. Everything Fred had said was true. Harry was vile and filthy and detestable. He was disgusting and putrid and despicable. He was all those things...

Jimmy shifted again, breathing out a small whimper and ensnaring Harry's waist in his arms more tightly.

Harry didn't care if he was every foul thing to ever grace the Earth. He had Jimmy for a younger brother and Jimmy thought the world of him. That's all that mattered. If this made Jimmy happy, then Harry would defy the entire universe. Content with his final, yet forlorn, decision Harry gently gathered the youth in his arms and carried him to the parlor. Setting Jimmy down amongst the boy's favorite pillows, Harry pulled a blanket over the brunette and bent down to tuck him in properly. Glancing up, Harry couldn't help but notice how eerie it still was to see a duplicate of himself lying on a couch right in front of him.

But then, Jimmy was ANYTHING but a duplicate of Harry. He was vivacious where Harry was reserved. He was witty where Harry was dumbfounded. He was confident where Harry was hesitant. Jimmy was the complete opposite of Harry, but complemented him perfectly.

How could anyone NOT love the boy?

Harry sighed despairingly to himself, reached up and brushed back a few stray locks of hair. He really WAS vile, wasn't he? A penetrating ring of the doorbell halted any further character abuse as Harry dashed to the door before the bell woke Jimmy. Peering out almost fearfully, Harry was both pleasantly surprised and dismayed to see Ginny Weasley standing on the porch. "Ginny?"

"Hullo Harry."

Harry scrunched his forehead, glancing up and down the street for any sign of her mad brothers seeking doom's day on him." What're you doing here?"

Ginny smiled gently and shrugged, "Haven't seen you in awhile, just wanted to drop by. Plus Mum's on a rampage since Ron's moved out and I don't especially feel like listening to another one of 'When Ron was a baby...' stories. Mind if I come in?"

Harry blinked, then immediately pushed the door open." Oh, of course! Sorry."

Ginny smiled again and strolled inside, her hands tucked neatly behind her back. "Is Jimmy in?"

Harry guided the girl the long way round to the kitchen through the foyer and the library." He's napping."

"Doing naughty things again I take it?" She asked with a smirk as Harry set to making that tea he meant to make.

Harry would've bet good money that Ginny's face faltered when he dropped the teapot into the sink and sufficiently splashed his crimson face with water. Good thing he was facing away from her.

"Harry, are you alright?"

"Uhh, sure. Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" He said, filling the teapot till it was brimming over then setting it down on the wrong grill.

"You're very jumpy. You sure nothing's wrong?"

"I'm fine. Perfectly wonderfully fine."

"Then why are you pouring sugar into thesaucers and teabags in the creamer?"

Harry looked down at the mess he created, stopped instantly and took a deep breath. What were the chances that Fred and George blabbed to her? Or ANY of the Weasleys for that matter? If they hadn't already, what would make them now?

_Maybe it was you magicking them out of your house_.

Oh...right...

"Um, G-Ginny, I...I w-was wondering-"

"You don't need to say anything, Harry. I know what's going on."

Harry blanched, leaning back against the counter for support. "You...you do?"

"Yes. It's pretty obvious, you know."

The boy lost most of his strength and clung to the countertop, "D-does anyone else know?"

Ginny seemed positively startled at his behavior and walked over to him with a frown on her smooth face," Course not. You know I wouldn't do a thing like that."

"So, they told you then?"

Ginny frowned harder, placing a hand on Harry's trembling arm," Who told me what? What are you talking about? Are you SURE you're all right? You don't look so good."

Harry stared at her for a few moments, then spoke carefully and slowly, " What are YOU talking about?"

Ginny studied carefully the boy standing not one foot from her. " Summer vacation...that night in my room..._YOU KNOW_..."

If Harry could've, he would've jumped for joy and spread confetti around the room. The kiss. Right after their talk about Jimmy, their little random kiss. Harry blinked. Ok, that's a WHOLE new set of problems. "Right...that night..."

Ginny looked at her toes and pretended that the tile really was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen." Look, I know you weren't in your right state of mind and... and it's not fair of me to expect anything of that kiss. I just wanted to say that, well...it was nice."

Harry stared dumbfounded at her. Did Ginny Weasley just make my life THAT much easier? I believe she just did. "T-thanks."

Ginny couldn't help but giggle, " Thanks? Well if that isn't an authentic Harry Potter reply."

Harry smiled sheepishly, at a loss for just how much luck he really had stashed away. So, Ginny DIDN'T know. That probably meant Fred and George hadn't told anyone whatsoever. But it was only a matter of time before it slipped, and boy when it did, what an episode THAT will be.

"But, if you don't mind my asking...what ever happened between you and Ron?"

Harry was again at a loss. Ron? Him and Ron? Nothing had happened since that night... Harry blushed furiously at the memory of those passionate hours. Honestly, he had felt something during that time. It's not as if it were entirely platonic. Harry was never one to have meaningless sex, it just wasn't his style. "I'm...not sure. I suppose we just felt different things."

"What do you think he felt?" She inquired, taking over duties of Tea-maker since it appeared Harry was too lost in thought to do it himself.

"I'm not sure of that either. I mean...we've been best friends since we first saw each other. I'm not even certain I want to tamper with that. I'm positive Ron feels the same way. But we haven't spoken since we got back from New Guinea. I wasn't even aware that he'd moved out of the Burrow."

"Which leaves you two _where_?"

Harry frowned, leaning back and crossing his arms." Friends I'd like to think."

Ginny glanced over and sighed to herself. " Have you talked to him about it?"

"No," Harry said with a scrunched nose.

"Maybe you should."

"I know I should."

"Nothing's worse than unrequited love."

Harry turned round and couldn't help the simultaneous grin and adjoining plummet of his stomach. Jimmy stood outlined in the doorway, lethargy still lingering on his pillow-chafed features. Harry would've pushed away that feeling of nausea when he saw the distinct look of anger in Jimmy's emerald eyes. What was he angry about? "I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

Jimmy shrugged and pushed himself off the doorway and ambled over to the table where he leaned against it in a very Intimidating-Malfoy sort of way that only Draco was capable of ...until now." Sort of. Guess I can just tell when people are talking about something secret."

Ginny blushed and Harry grimaced. Jimmy chuckled darkly.

"So when were you planning on telling me you snogged?"

"Well, er, it wasn't- what I mean to say is-" Harry started.

"You didn't." Jimmy finished.

Something deadly glimmered in his eyes just then and Harry was thankful for the presence of Ginny in the room. If not, he was sure he'd be eating out of a straw for the rest of his life. "Look, Jim, I meant to tell you, but-"

"But you still didn't. " Jimmy growled." You kept it a secret from me. Just like everything else. You ALWAYS keep secrets from me. As far as I know, you're probably fucking everything that breaths!" He shot an angered and betrayed look at the both of them before rushing out of the room all together.

Harry started and felt his heart contract. Panic. Time for panicking." No! Jimmy! You don't understand!"

Before he could move a single step, Ginny touched his arm and shook her head, "No, let me. We need to talk."

So Harry watched as Ginny disappeared down the hall. From the sound of the first set of angry footsteps and the second timid ones, Harry could tell she'd followed Jimmy to his bedroom. Something in his stomach turned at the thought of Ginny Weasley being alone in a room with his twin, comforting him in ways he never could. Setting his jaw and drawing his eyebrows over the bridge of his nose, Harry hurried to join the conversation, even if the other 2 didn't realize it.

Carefully, he crept up the stairs, slipped down the hallway and pressed himself flat against the wall just outside Jimmy's doorframe.

" ...-immy, please, at least let me explain."

"There's no use explaining. You kissed my brother and never told me about it."

"Yeah, I did, but it didn't MEAN anything."

"So you just kissed him for the hell of it, eh!"

"No, I didn't mean it like that! Jimmy-"

"Stop it! Just... Just leave my brother alone! ALL you Weasleys!"

Harry held a hand to his mouth, hoping he caught the gasp in time.

"Is that what this is about? You don't want me or Ron near Harry?"

"Yes. Well. Wait, no... I-I didn't say it like that! What I meant w-was-"

"Was you don't want Harry to get hurt."

Harry held himself with his free arm as the silence grew deeper. He didn't know what was going on now, but all he knew were the waves of guilt slamming him into the wall.

"I..."

"Jimmy, it's ok, it's fine."

"But it's NOT ok. It's NOT fine. You all love him like its nothing. You all get to have that part of him for yourselves. But he's MINE- MY brother. Only I know what can really make him happy, and yet Ron keeps loving and you keep kissing and all I can do is stand back and watch as my brother gets hurt."

"Then who would you have him be with, huh? Hermione? Cienna? DUMBLEDORE??"

"Don't be stupid, Dumbledore's too old."

"Jimmy."

"Look, I...I...I don't KNOW who he should be with, but making him feel guilty about who he loves isn't going to help. Harry...Harry deserves to have his lover be of HIS choosing and Harry deserves to have him fall madly in love each time he sees him. Harry deserves all the love in the world."

The brunette wiped tears away with a trembling hand and pushed himself off the wall. With gelatin legs, he led himself to his room and deposited himself on his bed. What he needed was sleep. Lots of sleep. Finding out your brother was pretty much telling someone he was in love with you was something a guy needed to sleep on.

()--()-----------

"_Only I know what can really make him happy_."

It was like the words had been recorded and put on repeat on the little stereo in Harry's head. Try as he might, he couldn't forget the confession Jimmy had made the previous night. WAS he really professing his undying love for Harry, or was Harry simply putting hopeful dreams on a purely brotherly statement?

With a sigh, Harry continued down the pathway that circled the seemingly endless gardens of Black Manor. Now he was grateful for the magicked expanse of unending backyard instead of plagued by all the pruning he'd have to do. A long, quiet stroll through the various gardens was a wonderful way to clear his head, as well as disappear for a few hours. What with all the twists and turns and forks, no one would easily find him here. And that's what he desperately needed. Solitude was doing him good.

"So, what's going on, Harry? Do you think Jimmy's in love with you or what? " He asked himself.

Furrowing his brow, Harry tried to think back on all the similar times Jimmy snapped at him. There was the time with the pretty witch in Ohio and the cherry, then there was the female vamp over in New Mexico and the shot glasses, and then there was Ginny and the nightclub... All involved Jimmy biting his head off and storming off like he just did last night. But it all involved girls as well.  
So maybe Jimmy WAS jealous, but not in the way Harry initially thought. It was perfectly plausible that Jimmy still really liked Ginny and felt betrayed that Harry would kiss her...Again.

But then what was all that about only him knowing how to make Harry happy? Or more importantly, Jimmy demanding that the Weasleys leave Harry alone? Jimmy plainly admitted to not wanting Harry to get hurt... So..._So_...

Harry grabbed his hair as, for the twenty-eighth time, his thoughts hit a dead end. It just didn't add up! There was no way to either prove his theory correct or discredit it. And in all honesty, Harry didn't think he really wanted to do either.

"So what's REALLY going on, Harry? Why do you secretly want him to love you? Is what my gut's telling me the truth?...Do you love-"

"Harry!"

The brunette winced and hastily considered diving for coverage beneath a nearby bush. But he knew the voice calling out to him and if anything, he needed his best friend right now. So he turned and put on as best a smile as a boy in his situation could muster "Hey, Ron."

The redhead slowed his trot and made his way through the ferns towards the youth. Harry had to admit, Ron looked VERY good today. His skin was superbly bronzed from their vacation, his cinnamon hair windswept and his white t-shirt fitted his wiry body deliciously. Harry groaned to himself. His life just never got easier, did it?

"Thought I'd find you out here. Where were you today? We were supposed to meet up at my brothers' shop," Ron said, digging his hands into his pockets.

Harry's face fell, " That was TODAY? Oh, I'm so sorry, Ron. I totally forgot."

The boy shrugged half-heartedly, though Harry could tell he was hurt nonetheless. "It's ok I guess. It wasn't all that important anyway."

"No, but it was to you. I should've been there, I'm sorry."

"I said it was ok."

"No, but really, I'm way sorry. I-"

"Stop apologizing, Harry! I SAID it was OK!"

Harry blinked and stared baffled at a flushed Ron Weasley.

"It's not like you want me in your life anymore anyways. It's ok, I get it..."

"Ron, no, it's not like that. I just got a lot on my mind."

Ron looked up at him, giving him a level glare from behind thick eyelashes, "And I don't? I'm just one happy go lucky guy who bedded his best friend?"

At a loss of words, Harry could only stutter like an idiot.

"Yeah, forgot that as well, did you?"

Harry did his best to keep his composure. It was all he could do. Neither of them had spoken of that night since it happened. He assumed it was a mutual agreement that it didn't mean anything. That Harry was just cheering Ron up after a rotten day. He honestly didn't know how to deal with things if it ACTUALLY did mean...

"Bloody 'ell... Can't see a damn thing that doesn't involve people's lives in mortal peril, can you Harry? The thought that you taking my virginity WASN'T such a big deal on the grand scheme of things, a bit beyond your reach?"

Harry paled, " Y-your..."

"Yes, Harry. I was a virgin." Ron said sharply. The tips of his ears were turning red and his eyes were darkening as his temper continued to rise. Add to the fact that probably at any moment, the boy's held back tears were going to stream down his face and Harry knew Ron wasn't here to simply berate him for missing an outing. Ron's eyes narrowed and the moment Harry had been dreading finally came; the ginger-haired youth's tears flowed down his cheeks leaving angry lines behind. His clenched fists trembled as his chest heaved erratically beneath the thin t-shirt. "Do...do you even CARE?"

Harry felt his heart pang, his stomach twist in knots. "Of COURSE I care you dimwit! Why do you take me for?"

"Well sometimes I wonder, Harry! You've become a totally different person since Sirius fell through the Veil. I was beginning to think I was friends with an imposter!" Ron growled through his teeth.

"Well excuse me for changing from a stupid kid to a stupid teenager! I've been through a lot, Ron! I couldn't very well stay the same if I was to get through it all!" He roared back.

"So what says the great and noble Harry Potter? " Ron said, his entire form quivering with rage. "Shall he change once more because he shagged his best friend? Or is ignoring the entire matter the better way to deal with it?"

Harry's mouth opened, then closed, and opened just to close once more. What WAS he to do? Better question, what did RON expect him to do? "What do _you_ think we should do?"

Ron took a step back to steady himself, took a deep breath and met Harry's eyes once again. " It's up to you. "

"No, it's not. We both went into it consciously, therefore we both need to fix it."

"I didn't realize it was something that needed '_fixing_'."

"Well, of course it needs fixing. I mean, it was a mistake. We shouldn't have done it."

Ron's face must've lost a good shade or two. If Harry thought he was enraged before, it was nothing to him NOW.

"Ron...?"

"_Why you_..."

Harry braced himself as Ron took a closing step towards him and squeezed his eyes shut. But what he was awaiting never came. Peeking a cautious eye open, he was startled to see himself standing alone on the pathway. Swiveling round, Harry found a heap of Ron Weasley on the bench further down the cobblestone path. The boy had his face buried in hands, his ginger hair cascading over his long fingers. Harry frowned as he saw the russet leather bracelet he had bought Ron that summer still wrapped snuggly around the redhead's wrist. What was he doing? This was his BEST friend. The boy he practically grew up with. His kindred spirit. The first person to reach out and befriend him in the confusing Wizarding world. And how did he repay Ron's efforts? By taking something as important as his virginity, then being a total dick about not thinking much of it.  
Slowly, Harry walked over to his friend and slid in beside him on the bench. Reaching over, he ran a finger across the bracelet, brushing against the boy's warm skin of his wrist as well.

Ron looked over immediately, bright red rings lining his deep brown eyes.

Harry sighed and glided his fingers round Ron's wrist," You're right...I'm a jerk...I didn't realize how much I'd changed, but you did. Of course you did. And about that night...I'm so sorry...It wasn't a mistake. Everything that happened was meant to happen for some reason. And...and...And I don't regret it."

Tears slowly slipped down Ron's cheeks, falling with a soft plop onto their hands. He nodded slightly, tearing his eyes away from Harry's to focus on his lap. "What now?"

It was the question Harry had avoided. But, for the sanctity of their precious friendship, Harry was going to do something he knew he would indeed regret. "Well...I think we should...Um..."

"What?" Ron's eyes held his hesitantly, fearfully.

"I think we should stay friends. Your friendship means everything to me Ron. And I don't want some stupid cross of boundaries to be the end of it. I respect you too much to do something like that again."

Harry couldn't exactly tell if the suggestion was reciprocated or not, but the tiny light that had been in Ron's eyes extinguished and the pressure of his thigh against Harry's fell. But before anything could be deciphered, Ron stood up sharply, wiped his tears clean and was guarded once again.

"I agree. So from now on, we'll continue as we did before this whole mess happened." And with a firm nod, the Weasley bid a curt farewell and disappeared among the hedges.

Harry was left off-centered and the better part of, well...disappointed.

()--()-----------

"Here you are, sirs."

Harry gave a short nod to the waiter and slid onto one of the four empty chairs at the back of Beatrice's Backyard Buffet.

"May I get you something to drink?"

Harry glanced next to him at Jimmy who readily said, "Two white wine spritzers."

Leaning over once the waiter left, he whispered angrily to the boy, "I hate wine. Why'd you order me wine?"

Jimmy sighed and angled his face in a way so that his lips brushed deliciously against Harry's ear." We're meeting with WEASLEYS. We need wine in our systems to delude any of the poisons they might slip into our food."

Harry was torn between chuckling, shivering and blanching. Really, his life sucked.

"Well well. Nice to see you've made yourselves at home."

Harry sat up rigidly and looked up to see Fred and George standing defiantly behind their chairs across the little table.

Fred leaned over, a dark scowl on his usually pleasant face, " Not that we'd expect you to keep your filth at home."

George hissed at his brother, pushing the lad onto his seat. "Oh shut it, will you Fred? That's not the reason we came here."

"Then why is it then?" Harry couldn't help but ask. He could already feel Jimmy tentatively leaning into him.

George sighed and pushed his brilliant red hair from his eyes, "We came here to make amends."

Both Harry and Jimmy blinked.

Fred sneered, " Don't get TOO happy just yet. We want in a good lecturing before we hug away our feelings."

"Oh, good, I thought you might not make this difficult." Jimmy muttered under his breath, crossing his arms and looking away. Harry wasn't fooled, however; the boy was equal parts petrified and grateful.

"Go on then. We're prepared to listen to whatever foul thing you have to say to us, " Harry replied bravely.

The Weasley twins exchanged a rather intriguing look before Harry was once again shocked into silence. George reached forward and took both Potters' hands, holding them tight in his huge grasp. Fred's eyes fell to his lap and his freckles seemed to have lost most of their splendor.

George's eyes warmed and misted as his jaw clenched. "Don't you EVER think that just because of the person you choose to love will make US not love you as well."

Harry thought he was losing his mind and Jimmy was looking as if he'd swallowed a Puffskein. George squeezed their hands tighter.

"No one, not even Dumbledore, understands the bond between a twin like we do. It's sacred and eternal and unconditional. There're things you do with your twin that you'd never do with just another brother or sister." George went on. " We know that, we understand."

"We just forgot for a moment, "Fred mumbled.

George glanced at his better half with a twisted smile. "HE forgot what it was like to be confused."

The Potters again blinked.

George sighed. "Yes, we've been there too. Exactly where you two are...Of course, it wasn't as extensive as your situation, but it was serious nonetheless."

Fred raised his eyes to the brunettes, tears shimmering in their sincere depth." I was stupid and selfish and, well, I was scared...It scared me to remember what it was like for me and George. We had quite a time sorting through our feelings, and where we came out wasn't where we meant to be. I can never forget all the times we laid awake in bed at night, destroying ourselves over our 'sin'. "

Harry licked his lips, his fingers trembling in between George's and Jimmy's. "So, what happened?"

"We ended things before they got out of hand. "George replied. " Course, we still steal a few kisses here and there, but nothing more. We knew we'd never be strong enough to confront our family with our secret, so..."

Fred sighed, "So we kept it a secret."

"But you two could be different. Who knows? Just remember that WE love you and we'll back you up through whatever course you decide to take." George finished with a final squeeze.

Harry and Jimmy were at a loss. Never before had they hoped for such a miracle. Alliances in the unthinkable. But here they were, saints in the forms of Fred and George Weasley.

"One word of advice though, closets are EVIL. Never seek solace in closets." Fred grumbled.

Harry found an odd sort of smile forming on his face. The anxiety of what this meeting was going to entail was waning and the prospect of having two older confidants to ask for advice was seeping happiness into the corners of his fear.

"Hello, sirs. Two white wine spritzers. Are you ready to order?" The waiter asked, breaking the lulled silence the four had created.

"Oh! Order anything you like, chaps. Meals on us, "George said with a grin.

Suddenly emboldened with a newfound appetite, Harry perused the menu, accepting the fact that he was going to resemble a stuffed turkey by the day's end.

"The onion appetizer platter, popcorn shrimp basket and a bottle of your finest Zinfandel." Jimmy spoke up, nose buried in his menu.

Harry scowled at his counterpart, "I hate wine. Why do you insist on getting wine?"

Jimmy shot a surprisingly suggestive smirk at him, shifting his leg so his thigh brushed Harry's and purred, "Because it gets you all hot and bothered."

If the waiter was disconcerted at the sight of a flushed eighteen-year-old boy, his unabashed looking double, and two chortling redheads, he didn't show it. Hell, one had to make a living, no?


	9. Nothing and Everything Changes

HULLO!

I must say, I'm VERY proud of this chapter. I took alot more effort into writing it than i took for the others. Meaning, i did HELLA research.It was actually interesting to learn more about Romania. Anyways, here's the chapter, hot off the press and I better get LOTS of reviews for this cause I cherish it like my baby.

**kamahpfan**: SOOOO! A Harry/Jimmy fan, eh? Thank GOD I found you! LoL. I'm a bit of a Harry/Jimmy raver myself, but of course I am. I'm the author! Anyways. I agree, love IS love. And I'm ecstatic that you're a loyal fan to my trilogy. It makes me all teary eyed ::hands kama a BIG taco::

**moo**: Haha, I enjoyed the Dumbledore comment too. Seems pretty much everyone did. And I'm pleased to hear you actually understand the whole closet thing. I thought I had lost people on that one.

**The Girlfriend**: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!

**Bobby**: Why couldn't you just save space and say you loved the whole thing? Honestly, you alway shave to do things the hard way. In any case...I honestly didn't consciously base it off anything personal, bu tnow that I look back on it, yes, it WAS kinda reminscent of us. Oh well. Looks like I got inspiration now ::evil grin::

* * *

(Rated **PG-13** for violent and dark images, drinking and implied boy-boy relations)

' _Swing, Swing'_ All American Rejects

Summary: Try as he might, Ron Weasley has found himself ardently in love with one Harry Potter...Still. Ron knew the agreement, he knew the consequences, he knew what was at stake...But he just wasn't ready to accept it. He wasn't ready to let go. Ron's unrequited emotions take him to places he never thought he'd go, and do things he never thought he'd do.

- - - -

Sitting in the dark tended to bring certain things to light for Ron Weasley. Like take for example the ruddiness of his skin. Now, he usually tended to be a milky white, but since summer vacation, a golden tone to his skin had yet to fade away and Ron was beginning to accept the fact that he just might end up looking like Charlie. His old bright red hair had toned down significantly over the year to a dark cinnamon, streaks of blond and strawberry accentuating his longish locks. If all went according to plan, Ron would be just as good-looking as either of his elder brothers.

So, Ron accepted that his skin was gold, his hair was reddish-brown and his life was crap.

Yes. Ron was finally coming into his attractiveness that was way past due, and his life was crap. He no longer lived at home (home life had turned far too intrusive for one developing so many secrets), instead opting for a room Jimmy offered at Black Manor until he found something more permanent. Jimmy had been gracious when Ron had approached him at work about not having a place to stay. Just straight to the point, 'here's your key, stay as long as you like and don't ever speak to me about Harry again.' It hadn't been a big deal then that Jimmy hadn't spoken to Ron much since the night in the kitchen, which was an astonishing month ago. Truth be told, Ron had been sufficiently sidetracked to notice the boy's distancing. But now?  
Hell, Ron felt it now. He didn't have anyone to turn to. His brothers were off on their own ventures, Ginny didn't know and Harry...

Ron grimaced and quickly pushed the name out of his head. No more of that. No more thinking about him. So, Ron pushed back his hair and returned to shoving the new load of Canary Crèmes onto their storage shelves until he got around to restocking the front.

The late July heat was seeping its way into the store and saturating Ron's skin with moisture. His t-shirt wasn't nearly thin enough and his shorts weren't nearly breezy enough. What ever possessed him to do his brothers a favor and watch the shop while they went out and had a splendid lunch with whoever it was? He was too nice for his own good. But with a sigh, Ron shlumped to the front and plopped himself down onto the stool behind the counter. He could see passersby ambling round with armloads of parcels, kids darting between their parents and owls shooting back and forth over everyone's heads.

And here HE was, stuck inside, bored and utterly miserable. Glancing over he caught sight of the twins' calender. For the most part, the entire month was scribbled with odds and ends like shipment dates, meetings and orders. But one date caught his eye. A date at the end of the month, circled in bright green.

Ron cringed. The Potters' birthday. They'd be 18. It was going to be kind of low key just because Harry wasn't one for celebrations, plus the fact that Jimmy was going to Egypt for the Minister (sometimes, Fudge was just a downright prat) that week. So, it was supposed to be the Weasleys, some Order members and a few old friends over at the Potters' new house.

It was sheer luck, really, that just when Ron had moved from home, the Potters had moved into their own home. It seemed like a waste to Ron. They had had a perfectly beautiful house and yet they wanted another. But oh well. Black Manor belonged to Harry and he could do whatever he wanted with it, like turning it into a boarding house apparently. Not only had Ron moved in, but Remus Lupin and Severus Snape as well.

Point 37 in why Ron's life sucked: He lived with 2 of his old Hogwarts professors.

It was just plain weird to wake up (hair every which way, eyes sealed together with cobwebs and boxers slipping down over jutting hipbones), pad down to the kitchen to find either a newspaper-reading Lupin in his shabby pajamas or a rumpled, sneering Snape glowering at Ron over a cup of coffee. Really. It wasn't something one wanted first thing in the morning. And forget trying to bring someone home! Ron didn't even want to consider what kind of mess he'd get into if he brought a boy to his bedroom.

If he ever DID bring a boy to his bedroom. His current troubles pretty much made it certain that never again would Ron have to worry about getting caught snogging a chap. Or anyone else for that matter. Ron was sworn to celibacy, and not by choice. His hopeless romantic heart was berating him endlessly for backing off of Harry earlier that week and letting the guy off easy. He purposely made it so Harry could forget the entire ordeal and never allow for anything like that to happen again.

In other words, Ron screwed himself over. Royally.

"Excuse me-"

Ron jerked out of his agonizing thoughts and was startled to see a young girl pointing to something over his shoulder. "What? Did you want to see something?"

The girl smiled a bit and shook her head, " No. I was just going to say there's an owl waiting with a note just there."

Ron turned and, sure enough, a sleek and impressive eagle owl was poised atop a jar of caramel butterflies, dipping his head down for one of them. With a growl, Ron snatched the envelope from the bird's talons and shooed it away. It nipped at his hair and moved onto a different jar.

Heaving an aggravated sigh and swearing that he'd give whoever the sender was a good thrashing, Ron opened his letter. Surprise washed over his face as he immediately recognized the neat, delicate scrawl penned in a deep deep green.

_"Greetings and Salutations Weaselbee,_

_I'm writing to you in light of some very interesting knowledge that has passed my way. You see, I'm currently taking up a frequent correspondence with one, Ginerva Weasley (Don't make that face, Weasley, it makes you look like a clabbert). Anyway, I'll have you know, the young Ms. Weasley has let me know of a certain, how do I say, liaison between you and a famous Scarhead during your holiday at the New Guinean coast. Let me say first of all, fabulous choice of destination. New Guinea is by far my favorite place to vacation, right below Venice. Now, onto the more prudent point of my letter.  
I must say, Weasel, I'm a good deal concerned for you. Taking on the Boy Wonder? What ever were you thinking you arrogant fool! As are all well aware, Harry Potter isn't exactly the shiniest gem in the bunch in terms of intelligence. But not only that, he's an atrocious dresser, which is by far the greatest of the Deadly Sins. Now that that's all off my chest, I come to my real point. Ginerva let me know of the results of your matter and I must admit, I'm shocked. Potter was a bloody tosser and you deserve better. So, here's what I propose: You take a few days, weeks, or months off for yourself to fully collect you and yours, then start on a whole new path.  
You need a change of lifestyle, Weasel. Along with a change of heart_.

_Let me know if I can aid in anyway. I'm more than happy to fund your new ventures in ways to either outshine or Obliviate Potty from your life._

_Your dearest and favorite Slytherin,_

_Draconus Lucius Malfoy_ "

Ron blinked, then blinked again. "What the bloody hell was that!"

But the annoying git DID make an excellent point, though. Ron really needed to forget about Harry and move on. And staying the same old Ron wasn't a good way to do it. He COULDN'T do it. Ron Weasley loved Harry Potter. He practically grew up with the brunette, dismissing any possibility of being able to free himself of Harry's influence.  
But Malfoy was right. Ron desperately needed to change himself. Everything. Inside as well as out. Hell, his body was already changing, why not the rest of him?

As the sight of Jimmy and Harry Potter passing by the window front on their way to the Ministry occurred, Ron realized exactly the lengths he would need in order to exorcise the Boy-Who-Lived from his system. And he knew exactly who could help him.

So with a determined frown on his countenance, Ron grabbed fresh parchment, dipped his quill into some ink and set about writing two letters that would set his affairs in order.

O---O------------

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jimmy asked, picking up Ron's jacket uneasily.

"More than anything." Ron replied and hoisted his suitcase off the bed and started for the front door of Black Manor. He could hear Jimmy following, his heavy boots clunking loudly on the way down the stairs.

"How long should I expect you gone?"

Ron smiled inwardly at that. He said 'I', not 'we' or 'your family' or 'the Spanish Armada'. "I'm not sure yet."

He set down the suitcase at the door and turned round in time to see Jimmy stand with his jacket clutched in his hand as if Ron would never dream of leaving with it still gripped in the brunette's fists. "Can I have my jacket?"

Jimmy frowned then outright scowled, "How can you just leave like this? Not even telling your FAMILY!"

Ron sighed and rolled his eyes, listening for the approaching footsteps that would mean the end of this conversation. It wasn't that he disliked Jimmy, quite the opposite. But Jimmy looked WAY too much like Harry, and being reminded of what he was trying to forget was destroying Ron's sanity. "I moved out. They don't need to know every single aspect of my life."

"But you're leaving for BULGARIA. For who KNOWS how long! Don't you think they're gonna notice if you don't show up for Order meetings every week?"

"Bugger them and bugger the Order. It's MY life and I can do whatever the bloody hell I want with it, " Ron barked." And if it makes you feel better, I'm going to Romania as well. There, happy?" Jimmy blinked and took a step back. Instantly Ron felt horrible. It wasn't Jimmy's fault he looked exactly like Harry, sans long hair and glasses. But the boy's appearance was just grating Ron's nerves in all the wrong ways and he really needed to get out of there.  
And like a godsend, footsteps approached the door and a welcomed knock resounded through the foyer.

Ron threw open the door and all but gave a startled Draco Malfoy a heart attack.

"What the bloody hell, Weasel! You scared the shit out of me!" Malfoy snapped, cradling his undoubtedly fast heartbeat. Looking over, his manor changed back into that of a cool, collected aristocrat. "Potter."

"Well, hello to you too," Jimmy said, walking over to grip the doorknob.

"Ministry life treating you well, I take it." Draco went on, giving Jimmy a calculated once over.

Jimmy shrugged, his face an utter blank, "S'pose."

Ron was bewildered to say the least. Last time he checked, the two were on friendly talking terms. Well, if the drunken madness during their Graduation party was anything to go on. But then again, Ron never heard Jimmy mention anything about Malfoy since he left for Bulgaria. The boy even tactfully avoided the topic now that Ron thought about it. "Well! How 'bout we get going, Malfoy?"

The blond snapped out of his reverie and nodded, " Of course. I'm quite hungry and don't want to miss the master chef's lunch on account of Potter here wanting a good gander at me."

Jimmy rolled his eyes and turned his head away.

"I know you're losing another one of your favorite staring objects, but DO try to contain yourself. I'm sure Weasley here doesn't want you making a scene." Draco added on, his trademark smirk in place.

Jimmy glared hot daggers at the former Slytherin, " Oh fuck off you fairy."

Ron edged his way out the door, making sure not to upset either of them as he saw sparks coming out of slate and emerald eyes.

"I'M the fairy, huh? If I do recall, it was a certain spiky-haired Gryffindor who came onto me at the Graduation party and proceeded in getting me off in the boys' bathrooms."

Ron started and almost fell over his feet. Wha-what-WHAT!?!?

"Why you fucking lying SNAKE!" Jimmy roared, his posture no longer docile.

"Who was the sober one here?" Draco countered coolly.

Jimmy stammered for a bit, then shot on again, " That's not the point!"

"Then what's the point?" Draco asked, sliding his hands calmly into his pockets.

Jimmy stumbled with his words for a bit before a dangerous shimmer came into his eyes. His eyebrows knit together and his jaw clenched. And before any of them were prepared for it, a tear escaped Jimmy's stony resolve. Even Malfoy seemed surprised.

"You just left...You didn't even-"

"I left a letter." Draco interrupted.

Anger once again set into the younger Potter's face." A letter! A FUCKING LETTER! That stupid thing was supposed to explain everything! Explain why the next morning you were gone and nowhere to be found! Explain why you let me do all those things to you that night! Explain why you never wrote to me over the entire summer! Explain why I lost my best friend!"

Ron was starting to feel as if they REALLY should've stayed inside. People were starting to stare.

"Something like that."

Ron darted forward and forcefully dragged Malfoy down the walkway, away from the violent Potter. Once rounding the sixth block from Grimmauld Place, Ron slowed down and released the blonde's hand, to which the boy promptly cuffed him on the back of the head with.

"What the hell was that for? I was handling it, " Malfoy snapped, adjusting his askew folds of cloak.

"Yeah, and he would've handled you right into the pavement." Ron retorted sharply back, a good deal troubled over what he just heard.

Malfoy looked over, his glower sliding away to display simply a frown. "You're probably wondering what all that was about in any case. Am I right?"

Ron sighed and nodded.

Malfoy looked straight ahead. "It's exactly how it sounds. He got wasted, came onto me and sucked me off in the bathroom."

"Crude enough, Malfoy?" Ron growled.

The boy sighed tiredly and smoothed back his lengthy locks." Sorry, I know you two are close. "

Ron didn't bother to correct him with 'were'. "So, why the hostility? Why didn't you speak to him properly about it all after?" He inquired as they approached the International Floo Network branch located in an old delicatessen, stepping in behind the Slytherin.

"We both know why, Weasley. I'm not the only one who knows the consequences of getting involved with a Potter." He answered simply, then stepped up to the fireplace, throwing in a handful of powder.

Ron frowned, dragging over his suitcase. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, " Malfoy said irritably," That Potters are trouble. You can't do ANYTHING with them without it being front page news, or the very least, dinner gossip."

"But what happened between me and Harry's a secret. He's keen on his privacy. Almost anal, really."

Malfoy shook his head at the redhead, his gray eyes softening at the edges. " Do you really think he'd want something like that spread all over the papers? Something like that tarnishing his good name? Potter's not as saintly as you make him out to be."

Ron shivered at the thought. "You're wrong. Harry's not like that, he doesn't care about his image."

"We'll see, " Malfoy said simply before gripping Ron's wrist and dragging him into the bright green flames.

Green flames that engulfed him like Harry's eyes did every time they lay upon him. Green flames that consumed him so wholly, so utterly, it rendered him boneless. And green flames that he was now using to escape.

"_Bran Castle_!"

O---O--------

"You missed a good month of the program, but it was just boring lectures anyways. I can give you my notes for all that rubbish, " Malfoy said as he climbed the last stretch of the castle's main pathway and led the way through the high gate and into the courtyard.

"Isn't this place haunted?" Ron asked warily, eyeing the ominous castle and its dark gloom. Even in daylight the place was eerie.

"Haunted? Depends on how you define haunted." Malfoy replied and entered the tall front doors.

"Haunted as in eyes always watching you, something always trying to maim you, loud bangs in the night, disembodied voices speaking to you when you're walking and figures hovering above your bed."

"Oh, well, in that case, yes. But I wouldn't worry too much about the figures hovering above your bed, Weasley. I'm sure there's no one here that figures you their type."

Ron hesitated on the threshold but entered nonetheless. The castle WAS a grand and glorious thing to see. Perched high among the mountains of Transylvania, it was isolated entirely from the tiny villages hours away. The castle had no less than seven looming towers, and foreboding windows in each, which Ron knew were probably torture chambers. There was a long, narrow, stone bridge connecting the main castle to its tiny counterpart over a fathomless drop to the icy river below. But Ron decided not to linger too much on the fact that if he fell, his screams would echo throughout most of the mountains. So he hurried inside after Malfoy, taking in a sharp breath as he gazed up at the castle as it encircled him. What with the sheer terror of it, it was enough to jog your memory that this was indeed a magnificent and ancient dwelling. But the cold chill that rushed up Ron's bare neck caused him to remember that the castle wasn't all THAT wonderful.

"So am I rooming alone?"

"Naturally. Your room is down the hall from mine, though. In the Children's' Wing. It's part of the training; to get used to no human contact."

Ron chewed on his lip as he followed Malfoy up a narrow staircase that ran alongside the wall. The whole experience was brash and sudden, much like the decision to even do this. But Ron knew he needed this. Whatever 'this' ended up becoming. He needed to get away and, hell, he might as well do something worthwhile with his time. But becoming an Unspeakable? Never in a million years had Ron thought this was possible.  
"Why do you suppose the Heads let me into this program to begin with?"

Malfoy pondered him for a spare moment before replying as-a-matter-of-factly, " You're Pureblood, of course. Do you honestly think they'd deny us ANYTHING?"

Ron blinked, almost running into a mainstay and knocking over a rather dusty looking vase, "What's that? You think that's the only reason?"

Malfoy sighed heavily and looked at him as if he were speaking to a child, " Weasley, sometimes I wonder whether Scarhead really did make you stupider. Of COURSE that's not the only reason, but it's sure good enough reason for anything. There's not many of us left, as you well know. Fudge and every other knowledged wizard knows what will happen if the Ministry isn't influenced with proper wizarding blood."

Ron swallowed roughly, tightening his grip on his bag. He knew as well, it was just common knowledge among purebloods. "The Ministry would fall."

Malfoy gave a grim nod and stopped at the head of a long, rather unpleasant looking hallway," Now, we both know some lovely chaps that just happen to be Muggle-borns, it's not their fault, naturally. But if the wizarding world were ever to lose the undiluted essence of Pureblood magic, well, not even half-bloods could save them from the apocalypse that would occur."

Ron looked to the side and felt sick in his stomach. " I'd never heard the myth be told in such a blatant fashion before."

Malfoy rolled his eyes and rummaged in his pockets for something, "That's simply because your father is a fool who thinks Mudbloods are the next best thing to levitation and convinces you carrot-tops that the world is all sunshine and rainbows with them." Emerging from his palm was a long, black metal key, which he handed over to the indignant redhead. "Here's your key. And there's no need to be in such a state, Weasley. I only utter the truth."

Ron walked off to the room at the end of the hall in a huff, hearing Malfoy titter in his wake. Kicking open the door once he was in, the boy tipped his things onto his bed and proceeded in murmuring a series of curses under his breath at the blond.  
Once that was all done with, Ron sorted his stuff into the provided wardrobe and dresser, then rationalized he'd better explore his chambers. No need to bump into anything at night during his flights of terror.

He had two rooms to himself, one the bedroom, the other a sitting room. The bedroom had quite an enormous canopy bed and Ron couldn't seem to think of any reasons to have such a big bed for only one person. The dresser was on one side of the bed, a nightstand on the other. Besides the nightstand, and currently where Ron stood, was the tall wardrobe. Ron decided he didn't like the fact that the door was directly opposite the bed, nor that the room was so dark. Walking past the wardrobe, Ron entered the adjacent room.  
First thing he noticed was the sitting room had an absolutely lovely view of the high, black mountains, dappled with enormous fir and pine trees. Far below, he could see the Far East wall that surrounded this end of the castle and the traces of a path that ran straight through the thick forest. In the room there was a small table at which only one chair was placed. It seemed the staff, wherever they were, placed lunch out for Ron. Walking over, the redhead deposited himself on the lone chair and nibbled on a watercress sandwich. Letting his eyes roam over the rest of the room, he noted a rather large, fluffy armchair positioned in front of an impressive fireplace, the tall window had horridly dreary curtains and there was a desk on the left wall. Getting up, Ron ambled over to the desk and found it to be quite beautiful. All dark mahogany and intricately detailed, he felt it didn't quite belong in such a place devoid of any real beauty. Poking through the roll top, he discovered a series of books dealing with Unspeakables already purchased on his account, and many more not even having to do with the Ministry department. Picking up one of these dusty tomes, Ron angled it towards the midday light from the window and squinted at its fading gold letters.  
"Entries Into EdenWorlde."

"I hear that's a particularly fascinating volume from a series by Erick Liptstein."

Ron whirled round to find Draco leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and looking far too comfortable in these gloomy surroundings.

Pursing his lips, Ron scanned the pages, " He sounds familiar. Wasn't he a nutter from the 16th century who believed there were ways back to Eden?"

Malfoy smiled appreciatively and walked further into the room. " The Weasel reads, how surprising."

Ron snarled at him and gently put back the antique book, " Found a copy at my Grandma's house when I stayed there during one summer. In fact, most of these books I've seen once or twice either at my house or one of my relatives'."

"Well, they generally circulate only among Purebloods. If Potty ever tried reading them, I'm sure he'd pitch a fiercesome fit."

"I don't see why, he's one of the most powerful wizards alive. Besides that, he's more than a half-blood," Ron replied, returning to his sandwiches and soup.

Malfoy seated himself on the armchair, crossing his legs and peering over folded hands at Ron. "True, but he's also self-righteous and chivalrous. He'd probably make like Granger and demand a revolution of the Muggle-borns."

Ron had to smile at the thought. It really DID seem the sort of thing Harry would do. Gather together Muggle-borns and insist that they be treated just as Purebloods. Then the smile faded and Ron remembered why he was here to begin with. Stupid Malfoy. Must he keep mentioning Harry?

"Don't do it to yourself, Weasley. It's not worth it."

Ron looked over at Malfoy's stern face and shrugged his gaze off, stuffing the last sandwich into his mouth.

"Your table manners are appalling." Malfoy said with a curl to his lip.

"Good thing I don't care, " Ron replied before he slurped up his minestrone soup unnecessarily loud.

The blond tossed his eyes to the side and crossed his arms, " Well, once your done slopping your lunch all over that poor ancient table, I must show you the grounds properly. Though I have half a mind to just let you get lost going to all your classes."

Ron sneered at him and finished his meal with a deliciously rich glass of merlot before setting off with the Slytherin prince. "So, what classes are there exactly?"

"Well, they're not so much classes, as intense lectures, " The blond responded, tucking his hands into his cloak pockets and leading the way down a large hallway. " We've just had a month of orientation over in Bulgaria, simple stuff about getting to know ourselves and our profession and entrance exams, of which I hear you passed with startlingly high marks, and now we will be beginning the hard lectures."

"Of what?" Ron asked, slightly miffed that he'd missed a month already, but satisfied that his scores were something Malfoy was pleased with. Ron never showed it, but he did very much miss being apart of the pureblood social circle. There was just something different in the way the redhead approached conversation and competition with Malfoy as opposed to everyone else.

"Well, let's see, " And he pulled a parchment from his pocket, unrolling it." On Mondays, it's 'Speech and Etiquette', along with 'Socialization'. On Tuesdays it's 'Unlocking Inner Psyches' all day, then 'Astronomy and Astrology' at midnight. Wednesdays are 'Ancient Magical History', 'Muggle-Wizard Theory', and 'Rune Protection'. Thursdays it's 'Magical Law' and Fridays it's 'Dark Arts'."

Ron blinked.

"Don't do that, you look like an owl." Malfoy said curtly, tucking the parchment away.

Ron resisted the urge to pinch him in favor of something more productive, " I have all those as well?"

"Well, of course, you dimwit. There's only about five of us after all."

"FIVE???"

Malfoy shot him a scowl, looked round to see if they'd disturbed anything other than piles of dust or crabby spiders. " Yes, five, that's what I said. The two of us from Britain, one girl from Bulgaria, one from Italy and one from Canada. It's not as if everyone wants to be an Unspeakable, you know. It's a horrible life."

Ron frowned, " But my Great Uncle Morel was an Unspeakable and he was as happy a chap as anyone."

"Well, everyone from your side of the family is a loon, Weasel. Nothing to be proud of." Ron would've retorted had it not been the sudden look of sadness that crossed the blonde's face. " Only a person wishing to escape humanity would want to become one. For it's a long, sad and lonely life. Full of secrets you can never tell and things you wish you'd never seen."

Ron paused at the bottom of a staircase he never remembered going down, " Sort of sounds like your life already, Malfoy."

The boy stood for several silent moments three steps above Ron, eyes unseeing and lips unmoving. If not for the steady rise and fall of his chest, Ron would think Draco had been Stupefied.

"Malfoy?"

Blinking back into reality, the boy peered at Ron in an odd sort of way. "Funny you should notice a thing like that, Weasley, and not the fact that Potter was never an option for you."

Ron had a very difficult time debating whether he should break down and cry that very moment or knock Malfoy's head from his shoulders or admit begrudgingly that he was right. But apparently the blond was in an abnormal mood, for he ushered Ron across the courtyard and through a set of wide double doors. And here Ron was stumped for words. Again.

The room was not only large, but tall as well. Narrow, gaunt pillars of nearly black stone shot up from all along the walls, connecting in a sharp arch at the high ceiling, if one squinted that is. In between each of these pillars stood a huge bowl of fire, held up in the air by a levitation spell. Malfoy stopped halfway through the room and waited until Ron caught up.

"This is where we meet for almost everything. Meetings, lectures, and what have you. What we're standing in is the Great Hall of Vlad Tepes, The Impaler. You know of him, am I right?"

Ron shifted his gaze from the ceiling beams to glare at Draco, " Even I'M not that stupid. He was the Prince of Wallachia. A bloody psycho was what he was, torturing everyone who didn't do things his way. "

Draco smiled a dark smile, " He's also simply known as Dracula."

Ron couldn't help the shiver that coursed up his spine, " Yeah, he's that, too. He...um...he doesn't still live here, does he?"

"Not sure. Some say he went back to his residential castle over on the Arges River. Still others believe he was killed when Voldemort sieged the castle back when he was in full power."

"What do YOU think?" Ron asked, crossing his arms and wishing he'd brought his cloak with him.

"Me? Well, I don't believe any of the rumors for one, bunch of ruddy hogwash if you ask me." Malfoy replied, turning to gaze at something behind them. "But what I do know is that Vlad still lives. And he's more than happy to make like his younger days and impale us for trespassing into his castle."

Ron turned and almost choked on his tongue at the sight he saw. For on the wall was a large portrait of the Impaler himself, his eyes flickering with the madness within and something that looked eerily like blood seeping through the paint from his rendered lips.

Draco smirked again, "It looks as if he's just fed. I guess that makes four of us then."

Ron didn't remember much about the rest of that day, only that he commandeered Malfoy's bed and refused to leave for the rest of the weekend.

O--O---------

The light of dawn wasn't something Ron was all that against. He sure as much enjoyed a good sunrise, but not when it was the sort of sunrise that gave way to a bleak, rainy gray day. Especially if the night before was something akin to pure torture. Apparently, Malfoy was correct in his assumption that Vlad Tepes was alive and well, and that he just killed one of their classmates. For when Ron met with the Head of Programs, Eustace Punickle, and the rest of the trainees that Monday morning after a very long weekend, it was to his horror that he discovered Sonya Wallace from Canada was found hanging from the rafters in the Torture Chamber.

And it was when he trudged out into the courtyard behind Malfoy that he started to think that maybe his decision to become an Unspeakable was a bad one.

"Ears, please! Thank you, "Mr. Punickle quipped. He turned round with a flurry of his robes and stared at the group with stony brown eyes. " I shall inform you now that classes will progress as if nothing has happened. If this matter, however, has put a strain on your heart far greater than you can bear, I suggest you deal with it. An Unspeakable's life will be full of horrors, all of which you will be expected to endure and maintain a bleak face through. Now, I will leave you to your first lesson. Good day."

At this the old man walked away, to be replaced by a younger man, though just as dark, with slicked back muddy brown hair and a creepy smile. He was one of the four wizards teaching them. He was called Lysander Olaf. " I'm sure the weekend's events have made you all very much eager to learn. Well then, I won't disappoint you. For the remainder of the year, I will be teaching you the ways and manners of the Unspeakable. Our form and conduct much differ from all around us, its what sets us apart but allows us to blend right in...Why aren't you writing this down?"

Ron blinked, fumbled for his notebook and a quill, and tried to eloquently balance writing while walking. And so, his training began.

O---O----------

Four weeks later, Ron found the time to lean back in his chair after a grueling day of homework and stretch his aching muscles. Etiquette demanded that he not make the grunting noises, but habit sometimes was a hard thing to break. He did, however, learn quickly that one who gobbled up food, no matter how ravenous they were, were sure to get their knuckles smacked until they were bloody. And Ron's knuckles were currently covered in bandages since Instructor Olaf said the sight of any abnormalities should either be hidden, forgotten or Glamoured. With a husky sigh he didn't realize he was capable of, Ron pushed himself from his desk and walked over to his solitary table he was becoming to grow quite fond of, to tuck into a supper of roasted duck, spiced potatoes and a bottle of pinot noir. He ate slow, he ate careful, he ate as if this were his last meal. A big part of him still wanted to put away the bird as if it were a bread roll though, but he resisted.  
Around 9 O'clock, Malfoy strutted in and deposited himself in Ron's armchair as he'd grown accustomed to doing the past month. But tonight seemed a bit different. He seemed a bit...off.

"Something the matter, Malfoy?" Ron inquired after setting his fork and knife down in an 'X' across his plate.

"Have you noticed the date?"

Ron frowned and glanced over at the calendar he tacked up on the wall above his desk, " August 30th. What of it?"

"It's been a month since you've been here."

Ron continued to stare blankly at his companion, " I fail to see your point."

" In only a month, the Instructors have managed to hammer out all the uneducated mannerisms that family of yours have brought you up with and turned you into something remarkably similar to a human being." Malfoy responded, leg crossed, faint arrogant smile in place.

"Shall I throw a party then, Draco?"

The boys regarded each other for a moment before the both of them burst out laughing.

"You almost had me going there, Weaselbee, " Draco chortled.

"Well, you deserve more for that human being remark. Now what's all this about the date?" Ron said, picking up his dessert (a cream cheese Danish).

Malfoy sighed and straightened a bit, " What happened at the end of July?"

Ron thought for awhile, racking his considerable intellect for the answer. " The slaughter of Moonsborough in 1412?"

Draco looked as if he were close to slapping him, but held back. "Anything else?"

Ron rolled his eyes and swallowed the last bit of his wine, " Malfoy, I hate history, it's one of my worst subjects, just tell me what you're going on about."

" July 31st, " Draco said simply and let Ron ponder it himself. But at the blank expression on his face, the blond was becoming alarmed. " July 31st, Weasley. Who do we know that came into our lives on July 31st?"

Ron just couldn't seem to put a finger on it. School didn't start at the end of July and neither of them had any new relatives that decided to show up and their friends-

"Oh."

"Yes, 'OH'. Merlin's beard, Weasley, " Malfoy sighed. Shaking his head he was amazed to find Ron acting as if the topic were closed. " You missed their birthday, Ron. You didn't even send them a card."

The redhead twitched, unnerved that his friend found this situation dire enough to call him by his first name. But what he said was only half true. Ron remembered, he just decided not to do anything about it. A card seemed too impersonal, a present TOO personal and a letter just all wrong since he wouldn't have known what to say. So, he just let the day pass by and ignored the gnawing sensation growing in his gut.  
Reaching over, Ron poured himself another glass of wine. Nursing it, he chanced a glance at Malfoy.

"I got a letter from Potter, you know. Rather short, but it said what it needed to say. Perhaps I should leave it with you, " And with that, Draco stood, pulling a folded piece of parchment from his cloak, and left it on the table before leaving.

Ron eyed the paper warily. What did Harry say to Malfoy that Ron would need to see? Did he really WANT to see? " Oh, bugger."

With a huge gulp of wine, Ron picked up the letter and smoothed it open. Soon after, he wished he hadn't.

"_Dear Draco,_

_Thanks for the food basket and money. Though you really didn't have to, Jimmy and me sure appreciate it. Money's rather tight lately.  
Anyways, I hope training is going well for you. Don't change too much, now. We all want our snarky bastard to come back to us intact. I was wondering how Ron's been doing. I noticed we didn't hear from him on our birthday...It's not as if I were expecting anything from him, its just sad knowing he forgot. It's depressing over here without him, in all honesty.  
Well, take care of Ron, all right? Don't let him become a stranger. Ron needs to be Ron, no matter how much he desperately wants otherwise. I'll cut this short now. Have a nice winter and I hope to hear from you soon._

_Sincerely,  
Harry_

Ron tucked the letter into one of his books and proceeded in emptying his bottle of pinot noir.

O--O---------

"And to the right of that, you should be looking at a bright "W" formation. This is what, Ms. Baskoff?"

"Cassiopeia, sir."

"And its stars are, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Shedir, Caph, Ruchbah, Segin, Archid, and Marfak, sir."

"And its position is, Mr. Weasley?"

"Right ascension: 1 hour, declination: 60 degrees, visible between latitudes 90 and -20 degrees. Best seen in November at 9:00 PM, sir"

"And its translation is, Ms. Baskoff?"

"Queen of Ethiopia or Andromeda's mother, sir"

Instructor Fleetwood nodded appreciatively, never taking his eye away from the telescope, " And the next constellation besides that is-"

"My sirs, must come quick, yous must! The young man flies, he does."

Ron turned away from his telescope to see a tiny little house elf hopping all over the place at the top of the staircase. Fleetwood seemed less than amused.

"What's this all about? Did you say FLYING?" The man asked doubtfully.

The elf bobbed his head eagerly, his big blue eyes that much bigger, " In the air, he does. Must come quick! Must come!"

Well, that was it for the lesson. The entire group stampeded down the tower staircase and scurried after Instructor Fleetwood who looked nothing if not extremely put out that his lesson was interrupted so rudely.  
No one said anything during the mad rush to keep up with the teacher, saving their breath for the thrill that was sure to come. As they finally started to slow down, Ron noticed they were in the Great Hall. With a frown, he walked beside Malfoy seeing Head Punickle, Mr. Olaf, Mr. Craft and Ms. Ewers circled in front of something on the other side of the pillar.

The teachers turned once Fleetwood and the students caught up, the house elf trembling with fright behind Punickle's legs.

"Seems it's happened again, " Craft said solemnly to Fleetwood as they approached.

Ron looked over to see what he meant and his stomach instantly turned sour. Clapping a hand to his mouth, he fought back a whimper and stared on in utter horror. Floating almost halfway up the wall, looking for the world like a sleeping angel, was his classmate Anton Spinelli. Well, he'd look like an angel if angels had half their faces missing, their chests ripped open and a constant stream of crimson blood plip-plopping to the ground. Ron could feel himself growing queasy and was starting to debate whether having that second helping of rhubarb pie was such a smart idea.

"Well then, "Fleetwood said, eyeing the scene with an uneasy look.

Pivoting sharply, Punickle addressed the class sharply, " Who can tell me what death classification this is?"

Ron blinked, staring at him as if he'd turned pink.

"Class E, subtext H; Unknown murder for unknown cause with unknown means." Jules Baskoff replied.

"And what are the characteristics that must be noted?" He asked again.

"Severe corpse lacerations, fifty percent cranial loss, and gaping chest cavity, " Malfoy replied.

Ron looked over at him, revolted. How could they be so damn nonchalant about this? Anton was hanging in the air! DEAD! By who KNOWS what! How could they-

"Mr. Weasley, I asked you a question, " Punickle snapped.

"W-what...sir?" Ron croaked through his nausea.

"Given the state of the corpse, the location and relative information about prior murders, what conclusion can you surmise?"

Ron glanced at Malfoy, who looked paler than usual, then at Jules who stared back blankly. A look round at all his teachers told him that they were very much serious and if he was going to prove himself, it was going to be now. " I deduce that one, Anton Spinelli, was murdered at around 10 o'clock this evening on his way to Astronomy. He was strangled in mid-air and was half alive when whoever it was began to disembowel him. The scratch marks on the painting are proof of that. In addition, from the amount of the substance on the floor and the color of his skin, it was not the splitting of Spinelli's chest that killed him, it was blood loss."

The Head gave him a most startling smile and nodded his consent, " Well done, Mr. Weasley. I do believe you will make a fine addition to this department."

Ron nodded his thanks and tried not to look so green as blood pooled at the toe of his shoe.

Later that night, in Ron's room, Malfoy sighed exasperatedly. Honestly, he would too, if he were Draco. But right now, he didn't care. All that mattered was getting plastered and forgetting about the gruesome sight of a splayed open Anton Spinelli. But more than that, the indifference people seemed to display at having the mangled body hovering above them for what felt like hours. If life was going to be examining dreadful sight after ghastly sight, Ron wanted to have more than half his brain cells dead by then.

"Weasley, REALLY. Your method of avoidance is juvenile, not to mention destructive, "Malfoy harassed from his unusual spot at the foot of Ron's bed.

Ron blew his burp in Draco's direction, making the blonde reel back in revulsion

"For Merlin's sake, Weasley! Eat mints!"

Ron gave a grunt then collapsed onto his back, steadily gulping back his...er...fifth bottle? Sixth? No, fifth. Wait. Tenth.

"I swear, I should've just left you up that tree during Rune Protection. You're a complete waste of time, Weasel. You hear me?" At this, Malfoy scowled. " Are you even listening?"

Ron tossed the empty bottle onto the floor with the others and beckoned the house elf on stand by for another. Taking a sip, Ron purred. Sherry. His favorite.

"WEASLEY!"

"Christ's sake, Malfoy, shut the bloody hell up. You sound like a girl."

Malfoy bristled, his pale cheeks flushing. Marching up he took a mighty swing and slapped Ron right upside his head, upsetting the bottle he was using as a pillow. Ron whined.

"I'll have you know many women, as well as men, think my voice is the essence of sexy. I've had more than one lover fall to their knees with helpless desire at the sound of my voice."

"Are you sure they didn't pass out from the sheer terror of it?" Ron asked innocently.

Malfoy smacked him again and this time Ron's bottle went flying.

"What the hell, Malfoy!" Ron barked, scrambling over to salvage what was left of the broken bottle.

"It's only what you deserve for belching on me. Yuck. I'm never going to get that smell out of my clothes, " Draco said, removing his outer robes and sniffing his fine linen shirt and vest.

"I'll tell you what I deserve. I deserve to be hung and mounted on a plaque and put on display in Harry's house. That's what I deserve, " Ron reached over and took the merlot the house elf offered him. "I deserve to never be any closer to him for what I've become already. What a horrible thing I'll become."

"What horrible thing?" Draco asked, staying a good ways from the crouched redhead.

"THIS! Whatever you call Punickle. I'll become just like him, we both will. Then nobody will want us," Ron mumbled before taking a mighty swig of warm, comforting red wine.

"I suppose you're right, "Malfoy said indifferently.

"So, who is it that you'll never be wanted by?" Ron asked, flipping over onto his bum.

"No one," The blond replied curtly.

"Bull. I know your in love with someone, it's only obvious. You said it yourself, Malfoy. Only a person escaping humanity would want to become an Unspeakable. So, who're you trying to escape?"

The boy regarded him sternly, seeming to have a rather heated argument within himself. But it seemed he came to a decision as he walked over, kneeled beside Ron and snatched the bottle out of his hand. Emptying half the contents into his stomach, Malfoy exhaled loudly and smacked his lips.

"Let's just say you and me, we're more alike than you think. Unrequited love is hell in itself, but knowing you could have something but too chicken shit to take a chance for it is quite another purgatory. " Draco seemed suddenly sad, his silver eyes misting over and his rosebud lips turning down at the corners. " I live in my own hell, which I've cultivated to consume me entirely. For if he knew..."

Ron looked over at him, frowning. The haze of alcohol hindered his thought process, but not enough to make him miss a big revelation. "He?"

Draco raised his eyes, fear shining through his icy layers. He was cracking and Ron was here to see it. But just as quickly as it came, the look left and Malfoy was shoving another bottle into Ron's hand.

"To escaping love and all its agony."

Ron had to drink to that.


	10. Crystal

HULLO! Gentle readers!

I'm back! Well, I never really went anywhere, I just seemed to fall into a deep hole until I finished writing this. I'll be going back into that hole soon as I'm done posting this chapter. So, if I owe you money or there's pressing matters you need to address with me, better hurry. My hole awaits me.

Anyways. My fingers hurt. Papercuts suck! Don't ask me how I got them, its not like I handle paper everyday. Now, i must apologize for the mass of French in this chapter. No, not the cussing form, the ACTUAL language.I was listening to various french songs and watching Amelie and Boyfriends&Girlfriends so much I was in this "oooh-la-la' mood. Now, I know the tense is formal, I did that on purpose. Draco and Jimmy are speaking formally to eachother so they don't attract attention. Most youths speak INformally to one another, so they're thinking they just might fool casual eavesdroppers that they're talking about, yanno, the weather.

Ok! On with the replies and then the chapter!!!

**Bobby**: ::pummels him for taking up so much space again::

**TheBobs**: Um...yay?

**YEHUDIS**: ::hands YEHUDIS a red rose:: Your welcome and people are VERY stupid. Thank you for pointing that out so fabulously!

_A/N: This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Third Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU _HAVE_ BEEN WARNED**

* * *

(**Rated PG-13** for social drinking, implied guy-guy relations and excessive use of French)

* * *

'On Fire' Switchfoot

Summary: Ron Weasley is unfortunately apart of a considerable percentage of the wizarding world who foolhardily fell for one of the charismatic Potter twins. He's learned to deal with the crazed fans, the headlines, even biting his tongue when it came to his feelings towards all of it. But his stay in Romania proves to be even more rewarding outside of his promising new career path.  
Little does Ron know that he's not alone in his silent obsession...For there is another who pines for a Potter so desperately, and it's the last person Ron expected.

- - - -

"... he won't ever have to be alone again."

"You're such a fruit sometimes."

A ginger-haired head lowered itself down and soon smoke engulfed it.

"Hey now! Take it easy! It's not as if that stuff isn't rare!"

Ron Weasley looked up to see the handsome, scowling face of his friend, Draco Malfoy. After spending the last 12 months together in the Unspeakable Training Program, the redhead had grown quite fond of the boy. True, their personalities clashed quite a bit, but that just made it fun. Draco was haughty, prissy, arrogant and even at times, indifferent. A big difference from anyone Ron had ever known. But he was loyal, and that was the biggest shock of them all. "I'll take it in whatever form I see fit, Ferret."

Draco glowered, his porcelain features scrunching and his gray eyes flashing." I told you to stop calling me that. I in no way, shape or form resemble a rodent."

Ron smirked, already feeling rather sedated and reached over to pinch the blonde's flushed cheeks. " Ok, Ferret."

The blond growled and Ron had to chuckle. Sometimes, it was just too easy.

Draco crossed his arms, leaning back in his armchair, and proceeded in dusting off nonexistent specks of dust from his immaculate robes." I'll have you know, Instructor Ewers finds me quite the fox."

Ron glanced up briefly and shook his head, " Ok, but you're still an animal."

Draco glared at the boy, snatching back his pipe and leather satchel. " In all the good ways, Weasel."

"That's a horrendous thought, " Ron replied, licking the taste of ash from his lips.

" You're such a git, Weasel. I'm amazed you passed Speech and Etiquette."

"What can I say? Mr. Olaf loves me."

Draco scoffed and stood, "Hardly. I think he was just sick of seeing your freckly face all the time."

"And what's wrong with my freckles?" Ron asked, standing as well and following behind the blond out the door.

Ignoring the question, Draco turned round and eyed Ron's empty hand. "Forgetting something?"

Blinking in confusion, the redhead stared at the boy for a few seconds before realizing his plunder, " Bugger! The report!"

Draco sniggered as he waited idly by the doorway, watching as the tall boy ransacked his desk for the aforementioned report. Trotting back into the hallway, the pair made their way through the familiar dark passages to the Great Hall.

"So, did you find that book I lent you helpful?"

Ron scanned through the extensive roll of parchment, checking and rechecking every fact, finding and theory." Oh, I've been meaning to give that back to you. I'm amazed the Ministry still allows that volume."

Draco smiled, " They don't."

Ron rolled his eyes and tied a ribbon round the scroll, "Why am I not surprised?"

Today was a rather eventful day for the two. After a year of rigorous training and decisive sacrifices of morale, Ron and Draco were finally upon graduation. Turning in their 6-month long reports (Ron decided to research and execute the plans for manipulating Muggle surveillance technology for Wizarding use. Draco did some potion or another that did something dreadful), the pair were finally on the day of exams. Neither was all too sure exactly WHAT the exams were going to entail, but they were certain it was nothing pleasant.

"So did you get anything out of Craft?" Ron inquired, fidgeting with a small metal 'bug' that would soon come alive with the proper spell and be able to scurry about the room, undetected, and feed back what it saw into a small handheld television.

Draco took Ron's invention from him, turning it over to examine the odd innards, " No. The man was unflinchable. Even with a bottle of port in his belly, he didn't let one little thing about the final exam slip-what in the devil is this thing?"

Ron looked over and frowned, " I believe that re-routes the circuits. Wait...No, yeah. It re-routes the circuits."

Draco looked at him as if he'd just spoken Gibberish." What the bloody hell does that mean?"

The boy sighed and took the ticket to an A from the blond and carefully slid it into his pocket." It means, the wires are held together by that little piece of metal so they go where I want them to go. I had to redo the casings cause the titanium didn't cope too well with magic. That was a whole week worth of time wasted."

Draco understood none of this. So he nodded his head and settled his mind back onto deadly potions and the siege of 1818 and a brunette's wrinkled nose and definitely NOT baffling Muggle science.

Soon, the two crossed the Great Hall and met up with their fellow (and only) classmate, Jules Baskoff.

"Hullo, Jules. Have a nice weekend?" Ron asked pleasantly.

Jules regarded him stonily with her blank brown eyes. " I suppose, Weasley. If fishing round a moat is considered 'nice'."

Ron didn't know why, but he didn't much care for the girl. Maybe it was the fact that she was emotionless or that she never really seemed all that there or that she treated him as if he were some child she stumbled upon. Or maybe it was just because she looked a lot like Victor Krum. Ron had never gotten over his inane jealousy of Victor Krum. Funny figuring his best friend had done exactly what Krum had done, only worse. People just always got what Ron wanted before he did. It had grown commonplace. And rather annoying.

"Why were you in the moat? Couldn't you get ahold of a house elf?" Draco asked, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of their teachers and an end to this pointless exchange.

"I don't trust elves. Something that low to the ground shouldn't be allowed to live." Jules replied in a monotone voice.

Ron grimaced, remembering Dobby back at Hogwarts.

"Then Weasley here must be your very best friend, " The blond quipped with a smug lift to his mouth.

"He is rather tall, isn't he?" Jules went onto say. Really, this was the most she'd said all year.

"I beg your pardon, but I'm not THAT tall." Ron refuted, a strange heat spreading across his cheeks. " I'll have you know that all my brothers are taller than me."

Draco regarded the boy with a little curl to his lip and mumbled, "Which proves the fact that you're uncommonly tall. You're only 19, Weasley. You're bound to keep growing at that freakish rate until your head hits the clouds."

Ron scowled half-heartedly while Draco chuckled quietly. Jules always made them feel uncomfortable, as if she'd yell at them for not acting in the proper Unspeakable way. Which was absurd, really. She never showed any emotion for anything. As if she really cared if they bantered once in awhile. All the same, Ron and Draco never sent the usual zingers to each other when round her as they did in either's chambers or taking a walk round the grounds.

"Ah! I see we're all here bright and early. Excellent."

The three turned round to see the Head of Programs, Mr. Punickle, approaching them, flanked by the four teachers. They all wore insanely black-themed robes, all Dementorish and ghastly. Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Well, here we are. I'm glad to see you three still alive and well. Merlin knows that speaks volumes, " Mr. Punickle went on. Then his face lost the grimacing smile and any trace of amiability otherwise. " Now begins your final exam which we call the Last Task. It in itself will determine whether you are proper Unspeakable material. You each will be given a roll of parchment, for your eyes ONLY, on which is written your part in this task. Your goal: To concoct and administer an advanced invisibility potion on an intelligent, non-magical subject within the next 72 hours. Each part you play in this task will either reward points to your final score, or deduct them. Remember your training and all should do splendidly."

Ron winced as another strange grimace crossed Punickle's face. Honestly, was it SO hard for the man to just smile?

"I must warn you, however. At the occurrence that you do not succeed and cause this task to fail, the persons responsible will have their memories Obliviated and given a wonderfully comfortable spot behind a desk in the International Wizarding Affairs department at their respective Ministry. So, if a life pushing parchment does not sound appealing to you, I suggest you take care to complete this task successfully." And with that, the old man nodded his head and walked off with Mr. Olaf and Mr. Fleetwood. Ms. Ewers gave the three warm smiles, as she was accustomed to doing, and led them to the front of the Great Hall at which was a large table sitting on the dais, so full of herbs and body parts and dead things floating in jars, that it looked like a page right out of a dark wizard's cellar.

"This is a standard collection of ingredients used for numerous potions. If the case calls for it, you will have to summon specific ingredients yourselves. An apothecary is upstairs, but I must warn you, points are deducted for using Bran Castle's stores and not venturing on your own." The blond woman went onto say. Her black skirt whirled round her flat shoes as she walked back over to them. " There are no rules against stealing, ordering or bargaining for needed ingredients from whatever source. My advice to you is, don't get caught. A caught Unspeakable is a lost Unspeakable."

Draco stared dispassionately at her, unwilling to let her grave words affect him. Mr. Craft handed out 3 rolls of parchment, each tied with a black silk ribbon.

"The context of each scroll is for your knowledge alone. You will play out the instructions to the best of your ability. Remember, it is your duty as an Unspeakable to accomplish this task in the face of whatever peril or moral dilemma." Mr. Craft said, looking very solemn." Once we leave, this castle will be your own. Each decision, yours to make. But just because we are not here, does not mean we are not watching. So take heed, lady and gentlemen. And know this, an Unspeakable's teammates are his most trusted ally, but also his greatest threat. Good luck and goodbye."

Ron, Draco and Jules watched as the two instructors nodded their exit and left the hall with an echoing bang of the tall double doors. Being on their own was unnerving enough, but also knowing what the consequences were for failure put them all on edge.

"Well then, lets get to it, " Draco spoke briskly.

The three unrolled their scrolls and memorized their instructions, which ended up being a single word scrawled elegantly across the paper in red. Draco seemed pleased, Jules indifferent, Ron queasy. Quickly, they each tucked their scroll inside their pockets and turned to each other.

"Well, I suggest we get started straight away. This potion will take up the entire time they've given us." Draco said, already picking through the herbs and such.

"Do you know what the potion needs?" Ron inquired, the green tint to his face slowly ebbing away.

"Not precisely, but I happen to remember seeing the list in my advanced potions book back in seventh year."

"Splendid. Where does this book happen to be right at this moment?" Jules asked dragging over a large bowl to carry the ingredients Draco was picking out.

"In my room, on my bookshelf."

"Wonderful place for it," Jules said sharply.

Draco sneered and thrust a root of birch into the bowl. " I can just Floo there while you two set up the lab."

"But I thought the Floo Network isn't connected here, " Ron put in, taking the bowl from Jules.

"Then I'll go to the village and access it there." Draco answered impatiently.

"Muggle homes usually tend to not be connected. But I'm sure you already knew that, " Jules spoke up, examining her nails.

Draco considered her briefly before a smirk lifted the corner of his pale pink lips, " I do believe I'm starting to like you, Baskoff."

Jules actually looked startled, then something eerily similar to a smile crossed her face. " Likewise, Malfoy."

"Yes, we all love each other, can we get on with it then? We already lost valuable time chatting." Ron quipped, his uneasiness causing a little bite to his tone.

"Alright, Weasley, don't start lactating. You two set up in the East Tower, that way we can have access to the moonlight." Draco said as he was walking away.

"While your out, Malfoy, mind picking me up some chardonnay?" Ron called out, walking to the far door with Jules at his side.

Draco's response was lost in the noise of the room as the double doors let a sudden thunderstorm in, and a disgruntled Draco out.

O---O-------

"... then the white rose petals sprinkled in every 15 minutes precisely, for the next 24 hours. " Draco marked his page with a green silk ribbon and shut the book with a thump.

"Is that it?" Ron asked from his spot on the opposite side of the room which Jules and Draco had insisted upon about an hour in. 47 hours later hadn't changed a thing.

"Course not, you dolt. " Draco quipped.

Ron sneered. "I was just asking, Ferret."

"What have I told you about calling me that!"

"There's no need to shout." Ron remarked, crossing his arms.

" I'm not shouting!"

" Apes, please." Jules interrupted, gaining dark looks from the two young men. "What's next on the list?"

Draco shifted the thick book to his hip, rather cocky about the fact that he memorized the last leg of the potion, " We wait until the potion turns dark blue, then we add in an ounce of purebred dog's coat and a whisker from a Cheshire cat."

"What sort of purebred dog?" Ron dared to ask.

Draco wrinkled his brow, referring to his book. " Well, it doesn't say exactly. I suppose we should search for other books in Malfoy Manor listing this potion and check them."

"Or base our decision on the magical properties of each purebred dog." Ron put in, a peculiar spark in his brown eyes.

Draco looked downright bemused. " Er, well, that'll do too."

"Then what canine has more invisibility properties in their heredity?" Jules questioned, stirring petals into the potion.

"Well, none naturally. The closest thing would be camouflage essence. " Draco replied, hugging his book to himself.

"Which are in what?" Jules prodded, growing impatient but not showing it.

"Basset hound and golden retriever. Oh, and Chihuahua." Ron answered, examining his nails.

Draco sent a glower in his direction, " You forgot dachshund and British terrier."

Ron rolled his eyes and stood up, " Anyways. It doesn't really matter which it is, any of them will do. And figuring we're up in the middle of the Romanian mountains, I wouldn't bargain on the smaller ones, they wouldn't survive the weather."

"Especially if its just the fur. Hair tends to be very sketchy." Jules added in.

Draco gave a sigh and rubbed his temples. " Ok, fine. Baskoff, I want you to go then and gather any one of the furs from those dogs. Need me to write them down?"

"Course not."

"All right then. While you're out, we'll need to prepare the demiguise hair, so Weasley no sleep. We have to constantly keep it in the moonlight and adding drops of liquid silver to it." Draco said, handing Jules her cloak and a tiny satchel of floo. "Be back as soon as you can."

Jules nodded and walked out of the tower room, leaving the two boys in silence. As Draco scurried about to ready the hair, Ron sat and watched.

Ron didn't bother to mention that what with the horrible storm out, the moon would probably show for about a few seconds tonight.

"What are you doing you stupid oaf? Get up and HELP!"

Ron rolled his eyes and slid off his stool, getting winded by a huge jar thrust in his stomach. If it weren't for the instructors watching over them, Ron would've walloped the scrawny brat right then and there.

It was tedious work, to say the least. Draco was a slave driver, commanding Ron about as if he were a house elf. Ron had even suggested that he transfigure a nice collar and Draco could start calling him Fido. Draco didn't see the humor in this.

About two hours later, Draco was getting restless and Ron was getting psychotic. The demiguise hair was waiting in an iron bowl set carefully by the locked window, at which Ron was placed so he could place drops of silver on it whenever his watch told him to. Funny enough, the watch was enchanted to scream at him in a voice that was eerily similar to his mother's.

"Finally! What'd you do? Decide to have a cup of tea?" Draco snapped coolly as Jules waltzed back in, a pouch in her hand and her hair full of leaves.

"So sorry, master Malfoy. Perhaps had the dogs not tried to gnaw my feet off, I would've arrived sooner." Jules quipped back, thrusting the leather satchel into the blonde's outstretched hand.

Brushing off her comment, Draco quickly looked for his scale, but seeing it in no obvious location, and with precious seconds to spare, dumped the lot of dog fur into the dark blue potion. After dropping the whisker in, the former Slytherin exhaled loudly and sunk into a chair. "Thank Merlin."

"Next time, why don't you hurry it up a bit, eh?" Ron said, watching out of the corner of his eye as the window creaked open the slightest.

Jules stifled a growl, her patience whittled down to a thin thread.

"Ok, now all we have to do is wait until the demiguise hair is ready, then we add it." Draco said unnecessarily, dropping in rose petals.

Ron sniffed, his stomach giving an odd sort of lurch. " What's that smell?"

The boys looked over at Jules, who suddenly glared at the both of them, " Don't ask."

Ron shrugged and Draco tried to be discrete as he pressed his sleeve to his nose. Exactly an hour later, the demiguise hair was dropped into the potion, quickly followed by the remainder of silver.

"That should do it. Now we just let it simmer for another 20 minutes and add the last of the rose petals." Draco said with something close to relief in his voice.

"What are we going to test it on?"

A pair of silver and brown eyes settled on a baffled freckled face.

"Malfoy, you DID decide on a test subject, yes?" Jules inquired edgily.

Draco looked panicked for a brief moment, then nodded confidently. " Yes, of course. What do you take me for? A Weasley?"

Ron scowled, " Get on with it, Ferret. What are we going to transfigure?"

Draco thumbed through a dusty tome, his brow creased, " We can't transfigure it, it has to be 100 non-magical or the potion won't work. Even a transfigured item has magical residue in it."

Ron shrugged and crossed his arms, looking out the window.

Jules frowned, "So what then? An animal from the forest?"

Draco glanced out the window at the stormy sky, " It'll have to be. Make it something small, but not a rabbit, they're too flighty as it is without adding invisibility to it."

"So I'm guessing I have to go fetch it, " Jules said through gritted teeth. Really, spending time with Ron and Draco was doing miracles to the girl's dialogue.

Draco blinked. "Well, naturally. "

"It won't work."

The blond looked over, already glaring, " What won't?"

"Getting an animal. The properties of the potion will be too much for them to handle for one, the next being we need to record any abnormalities of the test subject. I doubt there're any regular animals that can talk."

Draco frowned. The prat had a point. " So what do you suggest, oh omnipotent one?"

"Get a muggle, " Ron stated simply.

The other two trainees merely blinked, their mouths hanging open.

"What was that, Weasley? I must've heard you wrong. Did you just say MUGGLE?"

"Yes."

"That's illegal," Jules pointed out.

"Not if you don't get caught." Ron replied. "Look, the fact of the matter if we need something more intelligent than a rug and with animals, there's a big chance they won't cope with the potion and die on us and there goes both our potion and our careers. I don't want to chance it."

Draco looked appraisingly at the redhead, " I'm getting teary-eyed, Weasley. There just might be hope for you yet."

Ron decided it best not to reply and watched from his safe perch on the stool next to the opened window as Jules rushed off at Draco's command to the tiny village at the bottom of the mountain. Crossing his arms, Ron hugged himself tightly, feeling a cold breeze slither up his spine. He moved away from the window.

O---O-------

" WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

It was a decent question by all accounts. If it weren't for the fact that he knew very well what he'd done, but didn't want to divulge it, he probably would have told them. So, he just shrugged and walked out of the room.

It was pure chaos in the East Tower of Bran castle. A blond and a brunette could be found rushing about the room, trying their best not to panic as they tried to locate their subject, who had disappeared. But not in the way they were anticipating.

"Mr. Lovic? Mr. Lovic, where are you?" Draco called out, ducking under the wooden table.

Jules was kicking beneath everything that had enough space for a 40 year old Romanian man to hide under, the picture of absolute hysteria. " Lovic! Gus Lovic? Kommen Sie hier jetzt gleich oder ich werde Sie kastrieren (1)!"

Draco turned to look at her, glaring, " That's German you twit, not Romanian!"

Jules was not in the mood for specifics.

Draco whirled round when he tripped over something large and invisible, landing bum first on the rather unforgiving stone floor. " Ow!"

Jules grasped at air, scrambling around on all fours to snatch something of the man's. A foot, an arm, hell even a sock would do her fine. "Blast! He's gone! If I get my hands on that freckled faced Weasel, I'll neuter him!"

Draco looked about, feeling frantic and helpless. What happened? Where had he gone wrong? And what the FECK was Weasley thinking!!

"Some friends you keep, Malfoy. " Jules spat, her placid brown eyes anything BUT placid. " You do realize that if we can't find that stupid muggle, we don't have a shot at graduating."

"What are you talking about? We don't even have a shot at freedom if we don't find him!" Draco shrieked in a very un-Malfoy sort of way.

"You can thank Weasley for that."

Draco gripped the tabletop, trying his best to remember his lessons in meditation. Breathe in, breathe out, think of the leaf, loving kindness..." Bugger! I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF WEASLEY!"

In all fairness, it was a very mean thing to do. But rules are rules and he wanted to pass just as badly as the rest of them. Hopefully his brief insanity would muddle his Gryffindor instincts. Hopefully.

"What do we do now?" Jules barked, her hands and knees dusty from crawling around everywhere.

Draco shoved his hands into his perfect hair, a thing he only did when things got utterly horrible. And things didn't get much more horrible than having your supposed good friend devastate a very touchy batch of invisibility potion then let the illegal test subject escape through the door they opened. Draco was almost sure the Gryffindor alumni would strip Weasley of his association with them, Potter being at the front of the line wondering where he went wrong in the Weasel's training. What a coward! What a traitor! What a good for nothing little-

"MALFOY!"

Draco blinked as Jules proceeded to shake him very unpleasantly, " I'm not a bloody snowglobe, Baskoff! So stop touching me!"

The girl backed off, her eyes wild. " We're ruined, Malfoy! RUINED! We could go to Azkaban for this! We could!"

In a feat of great heroism and selflessness, Draco slapped the Bulgarian right across the face. Once her expression turned to that of shock, he cleared his throat and collected himself. "We are NOT going to jail, Baskoff, for I have a plan."

She looked almost hopeful, willing to forget about him slapping her. "What is it?"

"I will execute Mandate 6626, subtext M."

Jules looked at him blankly at first. Draco thought she did a remarkable impression of Weaselbee.

"I'll burn all of our recordings, everything from the potion, all trace that this ever happened while you go down to the village and obliviate Gus Lovic from his family's memory. A forgotten muggle is no muggle at all."

Jules brightened slowly at first, then she was beaming. Quite a scary thing if you've ever seen it. "Brilliant, Malfoy."

"Yes, naturally, "Draco responded, quite pleased with himself. "Now, make haste. We might still be able to salvage the situation."

"Indeed."

Draco and Jules turned with looks of ill-concealed terror on their faces. Mr. Punickle stood framed in the doorway, the rest of the staff behind him.

"That was quite spectacular, Mr. Malfoy. Destroy the evidence and modify the casualties. Very bright, " The man said as he walked into the room.

Draco wasn't accustomed to gaping or stuttering, as it was not befitting a Malfoy. But today, he made an exception. " I...er..._Sir_?"

The old man laughed, smoothing his tie down and motioned for someone behind him to come forward. Draco's stuttering only worsened as Ron's tentative smile met his silver eyes. "...What?"

Punickle walked round, examining what was left of their potion, " What would you say, Bruce, was the failing element in this potion?"

Mr. Craft stepped forward, taking a cautionary sniff of the cooled cauldron. " There was no moonlight added to the demiguise hair. Without proper exposure, the potion loses its pleasant sensation and turns into something akin acid."

Draco shot a dirty look at Ron.

"Oh, do not blame him, Mr. Malfoy. It is your own fault for not keeping an eye on your partners." Punickle said with an odd sort of smile.

Draco was at a loss. Why was everyone so happy? What was Weasley still doing breathing? What was going on!

"I can see from your confused face, things are a bit hazy for you, Mr. Malfoy. Allow me to clear things up, " Punickle took a seat on an armchair, the rest of the teachers busy examining the cauldron, the ingredients, and Draco's various illegal potion books. " This was all a test, you see. Not the kind you took in Hogwarts. This was a test of not only mental competency, but also that of interaction. You remember the scrolls handed to each of you?"

Draco nodded, pulling out the parchment still tucked away in his pocket.

"Let us see what each of your tasks were."

Draco flipped his around for the room to see.

" Do you not see the reason for why things happened the way they did?" Punickle inquired, an annoying smile that was obnoxiously reminiscent of Dumbledore on his face.

Draco furrowed his smooth forehead, glancing over at the others. His scroll had only said ' Lead' in blood red letters. Looking over, he saw that Jules' said ' Follow.' But the greatest shock was to come when he got an eyeful of Ron's. 'Betray'. It was as if his breath stopped somewhere in his throat and his eyes were popping from their sockets. "Weasley...?"

Ron nodded, tucking away his parchment as if ashamed.

"You all had a role to play. The leader, the follower and the catalyst. I chose Mr. Weasley here to make a point; you NEVER know who may betray you next. " Punickle grinned. " You all executed the task beautifully."

"But what about the muggle, sir?" Jules finally spoke up.

"Safe and sound in his bed, memory modified, " Punickle replied.

The three regarded each other with newfound pride and respect. Draco even rewarded Weasley with a pleased smile.

"Now, lady and gentlemen. May I have the results?" The man asked as he stood up and joined the other four teachers.

The group nodded and handed forward their slips of parchment, on which obviously was written their grades.

Punickle took great care in reading off each one. " For team effort, control and effective knowledge of Magical Law in their roles: Draco Malfoy, 9 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 9 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."

Ron grinned rather jauntily.

"For quick thinking, use of learned knowledge and creative license within their roles: Draco Malfoy, 9 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 7 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."

Ron grinned wider. Draco began to grow sick.

"For useage of past knowledge and liberal assets in their roles: Draco Malfoy, 10 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 5 of 10; Ron Weasley, 7 of 10."

Draco grinned as Ron dimmed the slightest.

"And lastly. For clever resolutions, reliability and trust: Draco Malfoy, 10 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 8 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."

The three exchanged a look, unsure what all this meant.

"In short," Punickle started. " I look forward to seeing all of you at the graduation ceremony this weekend. At which, ALL of you will be given your official admission into the Ministry as a trained Unspeakable."

The whoops of delight were heard all throughout the castle that night.

O---O-------

"You're a dirty rotten lying cheating bastard, is what you are."

Ron grinned and hugged Draco's shoulders, " I appreciate you too, Ferret."

Draco scowled, making Jules giggle. "What have I told you about calling me that?"

"Get used to is, Ferret. I'm calling you that till the end of your days." Ron said with a chuckle.

Draco's sour face only added to their amusement. The three were sitting in at the table in the center of the lavishly decorated hall, friends, family and co-workers mingling happily around them. The ceremony had actually been very small, to both boys' surprise. Their guests had been notified prior and they watched as the three were simultaneously presented with Ids, certificates and a spell binding them to the department. As a gift, Punickle handed them all matching silver bracelets, on which was inscribed " Till the End. We are the Ones."

The party so far had been mild, very low key. Most of the people present Ron didn't know. Draco had a few relations there, smiling down on the blond approvingly, whispering about how wonderful he turned out "inspite of that Gryffindor's influence."

Of course Ron didn't expect his family there. He never told them about his plans to begin with. But it didn't change the fact that his heart was cold without their warm faces and congratulations cheering him up.

"So, we get about a week to ourselves before we have to oath into the Ministry. What are you two going to do?" Jules inquired, sipping her tea.

Draco curled his fingers round his goblet, pondering, " I suppose I'll work on the Manor. Get it up to par, then study."

"Study? What ever for?"

Draco regarded the girl as if this were the most stupidest question ever, " For my career, of course. You can never study too much."

"Hermione used to say that, " Ron blurted out.

Draco looked over at him solemnly, while Jules looked interested.

"Oh? Was Hermione your girlfriend?"

Draco snorted in the most regal way possible while Ron blushed. "Er...No."

Jules seemed most baffled as to why Malfoy was giggling into his wine and Ron was looking like a tomatoe. "Was it the wrong question?"

"Let's just say, Granger wasn't really Weasel's _TYPE."_ Draco replied, throwing Ron a coy smirk.

"Then what is his type?" Jules couldn't help but ask. The slasher in her hoped against hopes.

"Brunettes, definitely."

"But only if they breech 5 foot 10, and have facial hair."

Ron and Draco whirled round, stunned to see none other than Charlie Weasley and Jimmy Potter grinning down at them.

"Charlie! Jimmy!" Ron leapt to his feet, throwing his arms round the two. For the moment, he forgot things between him and the Potter were awkward and he hadn't spoken to any of his family members since he left abruptly in June. "What are you doing here!"

Charlie laughed and patted his little brother on the back, " Watching you graduate, of course. What? Did you think we'd miss it?"

Ron pulled away to study their faces. Then it seemed to really hit him. _"JIMMY_! Bugger me hard! You're here!!"

Jimmy laughed outright, stilled wrapped up in half of Ron's embrace, "No, I'm really a figment of your lustful imagination."

Ron blushed then decided that it'd been long enough that he was stupid and crushed the boy to him. " Merlin, I've missed you. I'm so sorry I never wrote for your birthday and how I left like that. Can you ever forgive me?"

Jimmy stood stock still in his arms, rigid as a lamppost. At first, Ron was fearful, but he knew what he was doing. Jimmy couldn't escape or smooth talk his way out of this if Ron was holding him still. But to his relief, not a moment later, Jimmy relaxed and hooked his arms round the redhead's shoulders.

"Of course I do you asshole."

Ron grinned from ear to ear and squeezed the boy tightly before pulling away. "So, friends?"

"We never stopped," was Jimmy's crafty reply. Ron was more than relieved.

"_AHEM_!"

Ron turned round to see a very intrigued Jules and a rather flushed Draco.

"Sooooo...brunettes, eh?" Jules said with a knowing grin.

"Yeah, but not this one. " Jimmy replied and stepped out of Ron's arms. Draco seemed to relax visibly.

"So, whats the story? Inquiring minds want to know?"

"I think I liked you better when you never talked, " Ron said, to which everyone shared a good laugh.

"Mum and Dad want to kill you, you know, " Charlie spoke up.

Ron grimaced, "I could imagine."

Then Charlie grinned wider, " But they're proud as all get out. We all are. Our baby brother, an Unspeakable."

"Yeah, who knew?" Ron laughed then noticed something was off... Draco and Jimmy were missing.

"So...Did I really hear right? My kid brother swings the other way?"

Ron cringed and felt bile raise his throat. Warily, he chanced a glance at his brother. To his surprise, Charlie was all smiles.

"I've known for awhile now. It was pretty hard to ignore all the furtive looks in Harry's direction. You're not exactly stealthy."

Ron couldn't help but feel green. " Does anyone else know?"

"About your preference or the object of your preference?"

"Er, both."

"Bill."

"Bill?"

"And Ginny."

Ron felt dizzy. " And Ginny??"

"Oh, and I think Fred and George too. They've been acting real strange round Harry and Jimmy."

Ron sat down heavily, gripping his head at the onslaught of information. "That's everybody!"

"Percy doesn't know."

"That's everybody!"

Charlie plopped down next to his poor, bewildered younger brother. " It's ok, Ronny. We won't tell Mum and Dad until you're ready. We all support you. "

Ron relaxed the slightest as Charlie slid his arm round his shoulders. The musky scent of dragon pens and travel calmed his nerves and returned him to his Hogwart's days when Charlie would visit home and they'd talk for hours over cocoa.

"Oh, Ginny thanks you for leaving her Pig."

Ron sighed, " Yeah, well, that ruddy bird liked her more than me anyways, plus she needs an owl more than me. I guess with my first paycheck I'll buy myself a new pet."

"Please not another rat. Who knows what mental criminal it'll be this time. "

Ron scowled as Charlie ruffled his hair. "I'm not amused."

O---O-------

"Je cherche un auditoire avec vous. MAINTENANT(2)!" Draco hissed into Jimmy's ear then walked away from the food table and into a darkly light corner.

Jimmy blinked, a hors'deuvre half way to his mouth. With a scowl, he followed in suit, "Quel est l'urgence ? Ce doit être important si nous parlons en français.(3)"

Draco ignored this for the time being until they were both safely tucked into the corner, out of prying eyes. "Il y a des autres ici qui me crucifieraient si leurs oreilles ont entendu que je suis sur le point de dire. Je garderais plutôt ceci entre juste nous. " As a small group of Heads from the Bulgarian Ministry passed by, nodding their hellos to the two boys, Draco whispered in addition, "Parler formellement comme ça personne soupçonnera." (4)

Jimmy frowned, glancing between the officials and his blond counterpart." Que va-t-il sur le Draco?" (5)

So many answers to that question, but one at a time, Draco thought to himself. A conversation between Ron and himself played through his mind.

_'You can't always live for others, you know, Malfoy. Eventually you're going to have to live for yourself.'_

_'Just like you, Weasley?'_

_'Maybe, maybe not. But at least I'm doing something about my problems.'_

_'Because running away is always the Gryffindor way.'_

_'I'm not running away. I'll face Harry when I'm ready. Not a moment sooner.'_

_' But will you EVER be really ready to face the love of your life whom dumped you?'_

_'I...I'm not sure. All I know is I love Harry and if being in his life means I'll never get to love him like I want to, then so be it. I would have told him how I felt, gotten everything off my chest. That alone would make it worth it. Just so he knows someone loves him and he won't ever have to be alone again.'_

Jimmy peered at the Slytherin oddly, waving a hand in front of his face. "Hello?"

Draco looked at the boy, a shiver running up his spine and nausea setting into his stomach. He really shouldn't have had that second helping of goose liver. "Il y a quelque chose dans mon coeur que je crains me dépasserai."(6)

Jimmy seemed alarmed, but he managed to calm himself down enough to mumble, "Alors me dire qu'et a laissé votre souffle de coeur facile." (7)

Draco hesitated, his Slytherin tendencies rearing their ugly heads. "Ce n'est pas un genre facile de chose à dire. Je crains pour notre amitié. Je le crains pour que je ne peux pas dormir la nuit."(8)

The brunette frowned, his countenance softening, "Ne pas craindre. Je suis votre ami et je ne passerai pas le jugement. Dire me, ce que vous afflige si."(9)

Just get it out, Draco. Just say it. "J'habite avec le péché. Pas contre Dieu, mais contre mon coeur même. Ce péché me détruit de l'intérieur hors." (10)

Again, the Potter's stature took on a rigid edge. "Alors ne pas pécher. "(11)

Draco looked despondent and studied his well-polished shoes. "Si seulement cet étaient cela simple."(12)

Jimmy was growing impatient, "Vous faites des choses plus dures alors ils ont besoin d'être. Si c'est le pardon que vous cherchez, alors le pardon que vous recevrez. Je vous pardonne de votre péché, votre Draco." (13)

The blond would've cried, if such a thing were capable of a Malfoy. He wished on anything that he could leave things here. But sadly, the boy's point was just not getting across to the Potter. "Mais ne vous savez pas de mon péché! Si vous étiez de savoir, je suis sûr que votre pardon ne serait pas si facilement gagné." (14)

Jimmy quickly quieted him with a hand to the mouth as the Minister of Romania and the Headmistress of a nearby wizardry school passed by them, both wearing curious looks. "Me dire maintenant. " Jimmy hissed, his usual cool demeanor rapidly thawing in face of an already fragile relationship." Vous m'avez cherché hors, maintenant me dire. Je je promets ne vous souffrira pas pour lui." (15)

Draco gazed into the pair of emeralds that had never been this close, save one encounter in a Hogwarts bathroom that, unfortunately, truly was innocent. He closed his eyes, feeling warm puffs of breath ghost over his flushed cheeks. In his mind, the words he spoke were true and pure. _Mon coeur fait mal. Pour quelqu'un je ne dois pas avoir. Il languit pour tenir cette personne et les embrasse près jusqu'à ce que nous sommes les deux hors d'haleine. Je suis dans l'amour, mon ami de dearest. Je suis dans l'amour._ (16)

What fell from his lips was, "Je suis un millier de fois désolé pour coucher à vous quand dure nous avons rencontré. Nous n'avons rien fait sexuel cette nuit de remise des diplômes."(17)

Jimmy started, taken aback by something that had been on his mind for months now. It seemed he was so startled, he completely forgot to be covert, " W-what did you say?"

Draco winced inside, knowing he'd chickened out in the lamest way. But oh well. Malfoys don't make mushy heartfelt professions. "I'm sorry...We never did ANYTHING at the party. Truth was, you DID come onto me, but I deterred you and you passed out before anything else happened."

Jimmy's tight muscles seemed to slowly slacken, his eyes moistened, "But...then why did you lie?"

Draco took a step back into the forgiving shadows; his gaze hung low, " I was embarrassed, if you must know. It's not every day a chap has his best mate flagrantly hitting on him in front of practically everyone."

Jimmy flushed, rubbing his arm, "Oh."

Draco nodded a bit, totally angry with himself and ready to go drown his sorrows in a lot of wine.

"Thank you, Dragon."

Draco looked up quickly at Jimmy's endearment for him. "What?"

Jimmy smiled, making Draco feel as if the floor were whipped from beneath him. Reaching up, the Potter ruffled Draco's immaculate hair and 'booped' his nose. " There just might be redeemable qualities about you after all, Dragon."

Draco watched as the young man quickly explained away a quick departure (something to do with the Minister and fried ham) and exited with Charlie Weasley. Draco never did get around to that wine.

O--O--------------

Home. It was such a weird word to say to one's self after a year away at some haunted and violent castle in Romania. But here he was, home at last. Well, Black Manor at last. Ron sighed and collapsed back on his old bed, smiling at the familiar scent of wooden walls and fresh sheets. There was even a vase of beautiful flowers waiting for him on his nightstand. They were from his family, a picture of the bunch at Christmas adorning the roses and posies. His heart ached and he wished he could see them right that second. Even Percy would be fine. But alas, it was sometime after midnight and he was hungry, not to mention tired. So, deciding on which primal need would be addressed first, Ron changed into his jeans, threw on as familiar a t-shirt he could find and headed downstairs. Picking through all the creaks he vaguely remembered, so he didn't have to deal with late-night visiting from Lupin or tiring lectures on proper peace and quiet from Snape, Ron crossed the hallway into the kitchen.

A loud yip and Ron found his shins being attacked by something with teeth as small and sharp as a doxy's. "Yeouch!"

"Oh!"

Falling backwards from trying to escape whatever menace he was facing, Ron landed in a painful pile of limbs while something wet and warm lapped his face. A few candles were lit and Ron found a furry little ball of fluff sitting on his chest. A closer examination showed the attacker to be nothing more than a cute ginger and black puppy.

"Ahem..."

Ron looked up, stumped to see Harry standing at the other end of the kitchen, looking guilty and downright gorgeous with his sheepish smile.

"Sorry about that. Little guy jumped out of my arms soon as I came in."

Ron nodded and scooped the puppy up, standing up and rubbing his stinging bum. "Whose dog is it?"

Harry blushed furiously and Ron wished there were a hole he could jump into. It was WAY too soon to deal with a blushing Harry Potter. "I, er...Well...Seeing as you just graduated and came home, um..."

Ron looked from the happy pup to Harry. "It's for me?"

Harry shrugged, but his embarrassed smile spoke volumes.

Ron was floored. Harry...Harry got him a present?

"Max went missing a few weeks ago. I went looking for him and found him not too far into the woods, snuggled up with a girlfriend and about 4 of these guys."

Ron looked at the puppy who immediately went into hysterics trying to lick his face. "This is Max's?"

"Yeah. I heard that Ginny got Pigwideon, so I figured, you know, you might need a new friend. You don't have to keep him. I could always get you an owl instead-"

"No! " Ron shouted, and then blushed in spite of himself. "I mean, no, no need. I like it just fine."

"It's a boy."

Ron smiled and looked the puppy over. The reddish fur was uncannily similar to his own mop. And the black...Someone should avada him for his scandalous thoughts. It just wasn't humane. " Ronald Polonius Weasley the Third."

Harry snorted and walked toward them, " Ronald Polonius Weasley...the THIRD?"

Ron scowled, a red hue singeing his ears. " His predecessors never made it past the horror that is Fred and George."

Harry sniggered and crossed his arms in that casual 'oh, I'm so hot I burn a hole through the floor I stand upon, but I don't really care' fashion, and Ron wanted to slug him.

"Hopefully this guy'll make it to at least one year." Harry smiled at nothing in particular, his verdant eyes staring without remorse at Ron and his new puppy. " RPW the Third. "

Unable to keep up the stare they shared, Ron focused on his dog and noticed specks of green among the oceans of amber. Figures.

"Ron, the real reason I'm here was in the hopes of, well...of apologizing."

Well, that made him look up. "Apologize? For what?"

Harry sighed, if either for Ron's ignorance or the hopelessness of their situation. " For everything. In particular, the last time we saw eachother. I'm not dumb, Ron. I know that day was a huge factor in you leaving."

Ron cursed under his breath. Harry might be oblivious, heroic and beautiful, but his sharp perception was never lacking. He was as clever as he was gorgeous and Ron wanted to hate him for it. "I left because I was tired of living this no-end life I have."

Harry frowned, " Your life never was 'no-end'. It was fine."

" 'Fine'? Since when does anyone want their life to be described as 'fine'?"

"Well...me for one."

"You're the exception to every rule, Harry."

"I wish I wasn't."

"Well, you are. You don't understand how it is for us mortals here on Earth. We have to figure out how to deal with ourselves since we can't drown ourselves in saving the world."

Perhaps it was one of the many wrong things to say. Ron seemed to have a knack for saying the wrong thing.

"Ronald Weasley! I came here to apologize to you! I've been wracked with guilt for almost a year now and all you can do is preach the same sermon I heard over 12 months ago!" Harry shouted, his body no longer casual. " I'm SORRY! Do whatever the hell you want with that you resentful prick."

Before Ron knew what was happening, Harry was storming out of the kitchen and his angry footsteps resounded throughout the sleeping house. He couldn't let things end this way or he'd NEVER be able to sleep for the rest of his life. So, using the long legs God gave him, Ron sprinted down the hallway and slammed himself between the door and Harry. This was going to suck, but he had to do it.He only wished he'd had more time to prepare his defense properly. "Don't go, Harry!"

Harry glared, "And why the hell not? It's obvious you don't want to be friends any longer. I'm not as thick as people seem to think I am."

"I never said you were thick."

"But you implied it with the way you avoided me, ignored my birthday, left the country and proceeded in biting my head off when I tried apologizing for being a git."

Ok, he had a point. Damn. "i...er..."

"There's no need to explain, Ron. I get it. I won't bother you again."

"That's just it, Harry. I WANT you to bother me. I want you to bother me whenever you want!"

Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

Ron looked desperate. His confession was on the tip of his tongue, aching to be told. The air was thick with it. Even Harry could sense it was coming, for he took a miniscule step towards Ron. It was enough to bring their arms into tingling contact.

"Why do you want to bother with me, Ron?" Harry prompted.

Do it, Weasley! Do it! " I...I...I..."

It would've been a fairy tale ending to say Ron kissed Harry right then, for lack of anything better. But alas, this is no fairy tale and Ron Weasley is an idiot.

"I'm sorry."

Harry looked nothing if not stumped.

"I'm...I'm sorry, too." Ron began, figuring if he was going this route, he might as well do it right. "I had no right to yell at you the way I did. I had no reason to destroy our friendship. You're my best friend, Harry. I love you, mate."

Well, close enough.

It didn't take long for one of Harry's all out dazzling smiles to break across his face. The smaller boy wrapped the taller one in a hug and Ron could've died. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say, but it was a start. He got Harry's friendship back, which was more than enough for now. Their relationship was ten times more stronger than it ever was. Nothing could ever break it.

* * *

Translations:

1) "Lovic? Gus Lovic? Come out now before I castrate you!"

2) "I seek an audience with you. NOW."

3) "What's the urgency? It must be important if we're speaking in French."

4)"There are others here who would crucify me if their ears heard what I am about to say. I would rather keep this between just us." "Speak formally that way no one will suspect."

5) " What's going on Draco?"

6)"There is something in my heart that I fear will overtake me."

7)"Then tell me and let your heart breath easy ."

8)"It is not an easy sort of thing to say. I fear for our friendship. I fear it so that I can not sleep at night."

9)"Do not fear. I am your friend and I will not pass judgment. Tell me, what ails you so."

10)"I live with sin. Not against God, but against my very heart. This sin is destroying me from the inside out."

11)"Then do not sin."

12)"If only it were that simple."

13)"You make things harder then they need to be. If it is forgiveness you seek, then forgiveness you shall receive. I forgive you of your sin, Draco."

14)"But you know not of my sin! If you were to know, I am sure your forgiveness would not be so easily won."

15)"Tell me now." "You sought me out, now tell me. I promise I will not suffer you for it."

16) _My heart aches. For someone I must not have. It yearns to hold this person close and kiss them till we are both breathless. I am in love, my dearest friend. I am in love._

17)" I am a thousand times sorry for lying to you when last we met. We did not do anything sexual that night of graduation."


	11. Picture Potter

Hullo My GRAVITEES!

Welcome to chapter eleven. WOO! You're doing good! LoL. I must warn you though, theres a roller coaster ride in store for your mental delights. Poor Harry, he's just so confuddled all the time. But we love Confused!Harry. He's so cute! Anyways. Sorry this took a bit longer than i anticipated. I kept editing it and reading through it only to edit it some more. My new beta insisted it was perfect, but I still have my doubts. I think it lacks in the consistency level, but then again, i intended that. Harry's going through some life changes in a MAJOR way. In this chapter, we'll see the nitty gritty of Harry's TRUE feelings towards Malfoy, Jimmy and Ron. Ok, anyways, enough babbling, ON WITH THE SHOW-er...CHAPTER!...WOOOOOOOOOOO!

**TheBobs**: Only YOU would associate pummeling with erotica. And i'm very glad to see that you've got some substantial questions this time! Lemme see if I get them all  
1) YEPsireebob!  
2) HAHAHAHA! Yesh, I'm afraid. :looks bashful: It wasn't my idea, my girlfriend made a request for a high Ron and Draco moment, so I obliged.  
8) Draco freaked out over Ron hugging Jimmy because: aliens suddenly land and destroy Emerin's computer:  
10) HA! Yes! The reason I used french instead of another language was because Draco INTENDED to confess something else, and wanted to be as comfortable and romantic sounding as possible (since his mum was half french, he speaks it fluently)  
12) Incase you hadn't noticed, Jimmy's always called Draco "Dragon". He says it in the fourth chapter. Not so much in the trilogy, but thats just because "Dragon" is a petname...I'll give you a taco if you can guess why! (Hint: it has something to do with the differences between my original Slytherin!Jimmy as apposed to my Gryffindor!Jimmy)  
13) You really need to get laid. But yes, it could very well be interpreted like that. I'm sure Ron means it both ways, though.  
15) The title refers to the relationships between Ron/Harry and Draco/Jimmy. For one couple, Friendship is strong, like glass, but if it begins to crack even the slightest, it'll break. Friendship is also precious, like crystal, and it needs to be nutured carefully. The title also refers to the characters' inability to hide what they truly feel. They're so easy to read (if you know what to look for), you could say they're like crystal.

**Dreamer22**: Yeah, Jimmy and Ron were fun. But then again, Jimmy is fun to pair up with anyone. His personality brings out the stress in all of us . YAY FOR RPW THE THIRD:tosses tacos around:

P.S. Thanks to my new beta, _TheBobs_...hell, the guy wouldn't leave me alone, so I had to give him SOMETHING to do. LoL

**A/N**: _This is a SPINOFF. What happens in this story doesn't necessarily happen in the Third Book. It WILL help you to know the characters in my world better, but nothing beyond that. This is all a 'what if' thing._

**A/N 2**: **THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

* * *

(Rated **R **for sexual situations, guy-guy relations, incest and a Wicked Witch Weekly)

* * *

+' Japanese freestyle'+

Summary: When Draco Malfoy dares to question Harry Potter's 'integrity', Potter calls an all out war on the Slytherin. Not wanting to prove the blond bombshell wrong or otherwise, Harry finds himself facing a 5-page spread in the wizarding world's most highly read smut magazine, 'Wicked Witch Weekly'.

Soon, there're random strangers groping for his clothing, his brother has gone insane and he can't for the life of him figure out what crawled up Ron's arse...What has Harry gotten himself into now?

-

Harry Potter didn't fashion himself to be a violent man. Far from it. He was usually cool-headed and even-tempered. He thought things through, at least when they didn't involve Draco Malfoy or saving the world. But having to get up at dawn the day after his 19th birthday, a gruesome hangover throbbing at his skull, and something awful banging in the kitchen, Harry was compliant with murder.

"Up and at 'em, Harrykins!"

"Bugger off."

"Well that's no way to greet the day, dearest brother."

"Go fall on a sword."

Getting the covers yanked from over your muddled head isn't pleasant at the best of times. Try factoring in that the bloody sun seems to be visiting right outside your window and you have what Harry was feeling at the moment. So, like any logical person would do, Harry flung his pillow at both the intruder and the sun-filled window.

"Harry, I'm getting the feeling you want me to go away."

"Wow! You're sharp! I'll let you inform the media while I get some more sleep!" Harry ducked his head under the recovered blankets and tried to get back to his snoozes.

When the blankets were ripped clean from his bed, Harry was NOT a happy camper.

"Come ON, Harrykins. You agreed to drive me to the mall!"

Harry glowered at his twin from a comfortable fetal position. "What the bloody hell are you babbling on about?"

Jimmy bounced onto the bed and flung his considerable hulk atop his older sibling. " Gift certificates, Harry! Gift certificates!"

Harry whined in his best heroic manner and covered his head with the pillow as a last attempt to drive the annoying boy away.

No such luck.

"Harry Potter, I'm going to pummel you from behind if you don't take me!"

He tried, he really did. He prayed to the Gods and rationalized that he had saved the wizarding world enough times to constitute a free Sunday. But try telling that to a determined, and enormously spoiled, Jimmy Potter. "That sounded like the biggest sexual innuendo if ever I've heard."

Jimmy scowled and pinched Harry good and hard on his bare thigh. The injured party cried out in pain and Jimmy indulged in a good laugh. " Well, since you're up, you might as well get dressed and take me to the mall."

Harry drug himself to an upright position, vaguely pondering how he ended up in his boxers. "Why do I have to go? Can't you get Malfoy or someone to take you?"

Jimmy picked through Harry's drawers, plucking some jeans and a thin sweater from the lot. "First off, you have to go because I said so, and secondly, no. Draco can't drive, Ron's busy getting oathed into the Department of Mysteries, Remus is out with Sirius doing something ungodly geezer-ish, and Cienna isn't substantial enough to properly maneuver anything. That leaves you, my love."

Harry grumbled while he pulled on clothes and ran a brush through his hair. "Is this going to take long?"

Jimmy paused as Harry slid on some sneakers. "Well, that depends."

Harry stuffed his wallet and keys into his back pocket, looking uncertain, "Depends on what?"

Jimmy suddenly grinned and handed Harry a cup of coffee. "Depends on how you define 'long'."

Harry wasn't any happier with this response and he was wishing he hadn't asked in the first place.

O-O-

Harry hated shopping. He always did. He avoided the stupid thing as long as he possibly could. He bought most of his things once a month or in a catalog. Harry hated the stories full of cranky people, he hated the throngs that gawked at him, he hated the prices, he hated the smell. Harry hated shopping.

"Ooh! Do you think they have this in blue?"

Instead of plunging his head onto a metal rack that was conveniently, Harry merely shrugged. Jimmy loved shopping. You could tell he enjoyed spending money and talking to random people by his incessant bouncing stride. Harry was currently pondering the sprinting distance from his spot besides the hats to the bright green exit sign. Hmm...maybe 12 feet if he got a jumping start.

"Don't even think about it, bucko."

Harry feigned an innocent smile and turned to look at his disapproving brother. "What ever do you mean?"

Jimmy scowled and pushed a hat into Harry's hands, " I mean, if you make a run for it, I'll tackle you in the most unseemly of fashions."

Harry sighed and followed behind the boy as they made their way to the register. By all that is damned, Harry was going to kill Jimmy's friends in Miami for giving the guy about 8 gift certificates to muggle stores. Already, they'd been in this suffocating mall for what felt like a week. It was barely 2 in the afternoon.

"Did you want to get something for yourself?"

"No." Harry growled. " Let's just go."

Jimmy pondered him for a moment. "I think you'd look good in a suede jacket. Do you want a suede jacket?"

"No. I want to go home."

"I'll buy you a suede jacket. And maybe a black paperboy's hat. Wouldn't that look nice?"

"No."

"Ooh. While we're at it, I could get you some really nice black slacks. Your other ones are all gray."

"Don't want pants. Just want to go."

"I happen to have a gift certificate to a wonderful young men's clothing store at the other end of the mall. We can get your outfit there. Why don't I just spend the whole thing on you? You need new clothes anyways."

"Don't want clothes. Want to go."

"I'll get you some new ties, too. You wear ties, don't you? And maybe some socks. You need socks."

"Hate socks. Want to go."

"That huge Ministry masquerade ball is coming up this Halloween. We could get your outfit there as well. Do you prefer silver or gold?"

Much of the afternoon went on like this. Jimmy off on his own world and Harry muttering various ways to kill his twin and make it look like an accident. After enduring a horrifying fitting at Bronson and Bronson, Harry was finally stepping out into the daylight once again. Sunshine and exhaust fumes never felt so good.

"How about I take you out to a late lunch?" Harry suggested, somehow in a particularly good mood since he left the enclosures of the shopping center.

Jimmy grinned, packing in the last of his numerous bags and boxes into the back of Harry's Volvo. "Sure. Make it the Leaky Cauldron. That way after, we can just go straight to Knockturn alley."

Harry nearly tail-ended a Honda in front of them. "Wha-what?"

Jimmy looked over at him, alarmed, " Would you watch the road you maniac!"

Harry got his bearings and continued on, ignoring the rude gestures the Honda driver made at him. "Why do we need to go to Knockturn Alley?"

"Oh." Jimmy said plainly. " Because Draco and Blaise Zabini got us gift certificates to a men's clothing store there. "

Harry blanched. Was it just him, or did the day just get darker? "But we just got clothes. Why on earth would you want MORE?"

Jimmy looked at him sympathetically." Because, Harry. I can't have us being rude and not using all of our gifts."

"But its on Knockturn Alley! We could get killed!"

"Nonsense, " Jimmy said, primping his ebony locks he left loose for the day. "Moldymort's dead and his followers are all in Azkaban thanks to my spell. Other than a bevy of suspicious figures, we have nothing to fear."

Suddenly, Harry lost his appetite.

After forcing down a meal and trudging the dark and dank alleyways of Knockturn Alley, Harry found himself in a surprising well-lit row of shops, all of which seemed to only sell to the supremely rich. Everywhere he looked he saw primly dressed witches and important looking wizards. Amazingly enough, none of them thought twice of Harry and Jimmy Potter shopping among them. Following Jimmy into a store called Pipestone and Bros., a pair of bony hands immediately accosted Harry.

"Why hello! If it isn't Harry Potter himself blessing our humble residence! Welcome, welcome! My name is Prince and if there's anything I can get you, sir, just let me know!"

Harry didn't like a guy who called himself Prince. But the name spoke volumes for the lanky, bleach-blond man with way too many earrings and much too much cologne, rubbing his arm as if it were a cat. "Uh, er, well I, um-"

"Actually, I was hoping you could give us a sample of the upcoming fall fashions, " Jimmy said, bright smile on his face.

Prince grinned as well, eyeing the brother with a predatory gleam. "Naturally, Mr. Potter. Would you like models or would a spell be sufficient?"

"Oh, models, of course!"

Harry groaned as Prince giggled in delight. Please, God, no.

Clapping his hands, Prince signaled to the other three attendants in the store. " Gather up the autumn line on the models. Hurry now!"

In a matter of minutes, absurdly orange, red and yellow themed outfits on sulky young men were paraded infront of Harry. Never had he been so embarrassed for both himself, and mankind in general. Jimmy was having fun out of it, of course. The boy could have fun at an insurance seminar for Merlin's sake.

"Oooh, I liked that last one." Jimmy muttered into Harry's neck.

"The jacket or the guy?"

"Both."

"Dear God, you're flaming."

"Pass the torch, baby."

Harry hid his blush behind a brochure for the store, pretending to take notes on what fabulous piece he wanted to purchase.

"And that concludes our line. Shall I take any orders?" Prince cooed, balancing on his sharp heels.

"Yes. I really liked the twelfth outfit, but not with the tie. Make it a scarf instead. Oh, and the last two, only make the cape detached from the vest."

Prince was busy scribbling it all down as Jimmy looked over the aforementioned outfits.

"Do the models come with the outfit?"

Prince giggled again, making Harry think of honey on concrete.

"We can only dream."

Jimmy and Prince shared a rather nauseating laugh while Harry found solace in a rack of cufflinks.

"Isn't it fabulous how anyone will flaunt their body in front of you if you flash enough money?"

Harry whirled round. Draco Malfoy stood next to him, his sharp gray eyes just as calculating despite the memory of a thoroughly drunken blond the night before. "Malfoy? What're you doing here?"

"Obviously not purchasing estate."

Harry scowled and turned to face the shorter boy. "Smart ass. But seriously. I thought you were busy."

Draco shrugged mildly and glanced over at Prince who was blatantly flirting with Jimmy. "I'm not anymore. Now, who is that niggling creature hitting on your brother?"

Harry groaned and got an eyeful of Prince feeling up Jimmy's ass on the pretense of sizing for pants. "Says his name is Prince. He works here."

Draco sneered and brushed his cloak over his shoulder, " Some worker. Is the arse massage included in the purchase or do you have to pay extra?"

Harry chuckled, " Probably a customer incentive. Kind of like buy one, get one free."

The two eyed the tittering pair with distaste.

"That's absolutely atrocious. Feeling up patrons. Have they no shame?" The blond scowled, a dangerous curl to his lip.

Harry looked away, feeling the edges of a flaming jealousy start on. "It's his choice if he wants to get lucky. He deserves it after all he put me through today."

Malfoy turned his attention back to the other Potter."Let me guess; He dragged you all over England, shopping."

Harry's suddenly cold demeanor spoke volumes. Malfoy chuckled. "I'm glad you're amused. Now I can die fulfilled."

Malfoy sighed and browsed through the cufflinks. "Oh, don't be such a drama queen, Potty. Besides, what would the world do without its Savior?"

The brunette grumbled for lack of better retort and sunk into the nearest chair possible. Malfoy's slate eyes gleamed mischievously.

"You know. One might take all this fussiness as you actually ENJOYING yourself."

"WHAT!" Harry exclaimed.

Malfoy smirked and sauntered in front of Harry's chair. " I'd bet good galleons that you had a good time today and you just don't want to admit it for risk of being labeled 'gay'."

Harry sputtered, indignation rising up in his ears.

Malfoy pressed on." My sources say that maybe that's not all untrue. I have it on good authority that you, The Boy-Who-Lived and Savior of the Wizarding World, are in fact, GAY."

Emerald eyes widened to the size of saucers, then narrowed to thin slits. "If I hear you say that again, Malfoy, you'll be eating your tongue."

The blond didn't look impressed. "What's the matter, Potter? Afraid of a little bad publicity? Don't want people knowing you like a little sausage in your diet?"

"My private life is none of your concern." Harry spat back, his cheeks growing rosy.

"It is when you throw it all about like a cretin." Malfoy hissed. "I'd think you'd have better respect for yourself and others involved not to go painting the town pink."

Harry was on his feet and towering over the former Slytherin in a heartbeat. "Keep it up Malfoy and you'll be walking with a severe limp."

The boy smiled, none the daunted. "Have something to hide, do we, Potter?"

Harry started. "N-no. No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Only the guilty prove their innocence with fervor."

Like he mentioned before, Harry didn't fashion himself a violent man. But there were exceptions and he wasn't exactly saving the world at the moment. So, with a hard right hook, he brought Malfoy crashing down to the floor. Pinning the blond down before he could escape, Harry glowered over him, noses inches apart.

"Make those insinuations again and I'll curse you so hard not even Aurors could identify your body."

Malfoy glared up at the brunette, the gasps and squeaks of surprise coming from all around them letting them know they had an audience. But as much as Harry was as good as his word to curse Draco to hell and back, the blond persevered. " I'd bet my manor on it that you're gay, Potter, and you're just too much of a coward to admit it publicly."

Harry pushed the Slytherin harder into the marble floor, " Keep talking, Malfoy. It's YOUR funeral."

"You live for your fans, Potter. You would wither and die if not for the attention they grant you everyday. It's your lifeblood, your thrill. They make you who you are, whether you admit it or not. And the thought of them rejecting you kills you more than Voldemort ever could."

Harry's wand was out and pressed against Malfoy's forehead before anyone could breath. His green eyes no longer simply goaded, they burned like emerald fire, piercing Malfoy straight to his bones. "That's a lie and you know it."

"Prove it then. Prove to me that you don't care WHAT your fans think of you."

"Fine. Name your terms."

Malfoy smiled, despite the sparks from Harry's wand singeing his stray blond hairs. "An article in a famous wizarding magazine. Totally exclusive, an all out expose on our resident Golden Boy."

"Fine."

"Good. Now shake on it. With your wand hand."

Harry reached out and shook Malfoy's hand, not even considering the consequences of the agreement. But how so like the true Gryffindor he was.

Malfoy smirked especially brightly, " Excellent. Now let me up you great lout, you weigh a ton."

Harry stood, still glaring at the blond. It was like old times, really. Harry and Draco were rivals, Harry and Draco got under each other's skin, and Harry was just goaded into another one of Draco's ploys.

Harry really hated going shopping.

OO

It didn't occur to Harry that something might've been off about the deal. Apparently, it had completely slipped his mind all together that he had just made a bet with a Slytherin. But oh how he remembered fast when Malfoy found him at the Ministry filing student records the next day, an enormous roll of parchment tucked under the blond's arm.

"'Ello and good day to you, Potter, " Malfoy chirped happily.

Harry was immediately suspicious. "Hi Malfoy. Why the good mood?"

"Can I not be simply happy that I am alive in this most glorious of ages?"

"No."

"Oh, Potter, such the cynic."

"What's that you got there?"

" 'What is that you have?'"

"Whatever. What is it?"

Malfoy smiled, " This, my artless friend, is a contract."

Harry arched a brow, his suspicion rising to distrust." Contract? For what?"

"You of course, " Malfoy said, walking over to an empty desk. Pushing aside half a day's worth of filing onto a chair, Draco spread out the considerable parchment. The roll went clear off the table, across the room, down the hall and disappeared around the corner. Harry blinked. "I've written it myself. I'm bloody brilliant, if you ask me."

"I can see you haven't lost your modesty, "Harry commented, giving the tiny script a once over.

Draco waved him off and plucked a quill from its perch and dipped it in ink. "It's all quite simple, really. You just sign on all the X's and we'll be done."

Harry took the quill from the boy, giving him a wary look. He was impulsive, sure, but hardly stupid. He knew a ruse when he smelled one. "I don't know, Malfoy."

"Oh stop being such a pansy, Potter. I thought Gryffindors were famous for their jumping off bridges and all that. "

Harry scowled.

"But if you really are too scared to sign, then I can just-"

"Forget it! I'll sign!" Harry growled, scribbling and initialing besides all the bold red X's he came across.

Malfoy grinned, "Excellent."

When Harry was done, he really did feel like an absolute idiot. Once again, Harry was duped by Draco Malfoy. And it wasn't even 9:30 yet.

It wasn't until later that day, after arriving home and sitting down to dinner, did Harry fully realize just how badly Malfoy fooled him.

"THAT BLOODY BASTARD! I'LL KILL HIM!"

Jimmy looked up from his stroganoff and frowned, "What?"

Harry was seething. His fists clenched, unclenched, and then clenched again. His teeth were set tight and his body was trembling with indignation.

"What happened?" Jimmy asked again.

Harry slammed his finger onto the line that caused his fit and shouted, " THAT!"

Jimmy crinkled his brow with interest and leaned over. " The first part of the second party, here to and forever after known as Harold James Potter, in part of the agreement made with the first part of the first party, here to and forever known as Draonus Lucius Malfoy, here by yeah yeah, bladdy bladdy blah…Oh my god."

Smoke encircled Harry's head. "Yeah."

"No." Jimmy breathed, grabbing his glasses thinking he read wrong.

"Yes." Harry growled.

Jimmy looked dumbfounded and almost, dare he say, tickled. "No."

Seeing the corner of Jimmy's mouth jump made Harry's blood boil. "YES."

Cienna, witnessing all the commotion and growing quite curious, floated over and examined the line in question. "What's this…" Seeing as she wasn't nearly as tactful nor sympathetic, not to mention Harry couldn't kill her again, Cienna burst into giggles. "Oh dear! But that's hilarious!"

Harry looked almost ready to attack, " I know a few hexes made especially for ghosts, you know. I'm not declined to use them."

Cienna giggled harder and floated out of the room, leaving Harry in an absolute state and Jimmy trying his best not to laugh too.

Harry shot him a hard look and the boy squeaked. To his person, Jimmy let out a small snigger. " You must admit, Harry. It IS pretty funny."

"I don't find anything amusing about this situation at all."

Jimmy snorted, "But I mean, that's just great. He totally tricked you good. You MUST admit at least that."

Harry grumbled, " I will admit no such thing. Draco Malfoy is a deceitful, devious, dastardly little prick and he better hope I don't find him or I'll kill him."

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" Jimmy said with a smile. "I mean, all he did was fool you into a photo spread along with your article. I hardly think that's sufficient reason to go committing murder."

Harry looked at him as if he'd gone mad. "It's a photo spread in Wicked Witch Weekly."

Jimmy didn't seem to be catching on if his blank look was anything to go by.

"As in the dirty, smutty, dicks hanging out all over the place, version of Witch Weekly."

Still. **Nothing**.

"Jimmy! I'm going to be forced to flash the entire country what Mum gave me!"

Jimmy still wasn't seeing the point.

"I swear to God I'm going to reach across this table and strangle you."

"Oh! THAT Wicked Witch Weekly!"

"What did you think I was talking about?"

"The other one."

Harry gave his brother a level stare. "Sometimes I worry what happened on your side of the womb."

Jimmy resumed eating his supper calmly.

"I can't do this, Jim. I can't."

"Why not? It's not as if you have anything to be ashamed of. I mean, COME ON. Can we say 'stallion'?" Jimmy said with a leering grin.

Harry flushed and scowled, " This is not the time nor place to be acting like that. I'm serious here. I can't go showing my body to anyone willing to pay 5 sickles."

"I hardly think Wicked Witch Weekly will make this issue 5 sickles. They could ATLEAST get 10."

"Jimmy!"

"Maybe even 20. Hell, they could charge 100 galleons if they wanted."

"JIMMY!"

"You should arrange to get royalties. We could sure use the money."

"Is there a name for the planet you live on?"

"Ooh! You should make a calendar to go along with it! Oh, that'd be a great addition to the Golden Boy Catalogue."

Harry blanched. "OHHHHHH no. NO! I hate that catalogue and if I ever find out who started it, I'll hex them a new face."

"That's really sweet of you, Harry. You should make that apart of your article. 'BOY-WHO-LIVED GOES CHARITY: FANTASY MAKEOVER FOR WINNING DEVOTEE'."

"You were dropped on your head, that's the only explanation. Severe brain damage as an infant."

"What wonderful publicity you'll get from all this. Not only will you forever be a household name, which by the way we should get rights to, that way when anyone says your name we'll get 5 knuts, but you'll be branded as this decades hottest porn star."

In 5 seconds flat, Jimmy was sprawled out on the floor and Harry was committing the first of his two murders through means of ramming pasta down an obnoxious mouth.

OO

True to his unflinching loyalty, Jimmy delightedly agreed to talk to Malfoy on Harry's behalf the following day. So, knowing that his twin would set everything straight, Harry happily went through his classes and cleaned the house once he got home. Even getting a visit from Ron escorting a plant-infused Neville wasn't too bad. But Harry really didn't think Neville's eyebrow would ever be the same. Kissing Venus plants were never too keen on actually kissing.

So, sitting in the living room besides a cute redhead and a brunette nursing a waxed eyebrow, Harry was quite the happy camper. That was, until Jimmy came home.

On first glance, his glower and the violent footfalls were not a good sign.

"So, um, how did it go?" Harry asked warily.

"¡Yo no puedo creer ese bastardo pequeño¡Pelaré ese derecho engreído de la cara lejos sus huesos y se lo alimenta a él¡Cómo atrévase él¡Yo lo mataré!" (1)

Harry frowned.

"I'm guessing not good, " Ron said. Harry had told him all about the bet.

"What happened?" Harry attempted, watching his brother pace back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. Cienna peeked from the staircase.

"Che è successo? Che è successo è Draco Malfoy è un deceitful, intricato, il dastardly la piccola puntura ed egli migliore spera che indosso't lo trova o io'il ll l'uccide! "(2)

"What was that?" Neville whispered from behind his sponge.

"Italian, I think, " Ron answered just as quietly.

"In English, please. Now, WHAT the hell happened?" Harry asked one last time.

Jimmy spun on his heel, a spitting imitation of Severus Snape himself. "You want to know what happened?"

"No, I just like asking all the time." Harry winced even before the words finished leaving his mouth. He'd pay for them later. And dearly if Jimmy's deadly glare was anything to go by.

"In short, my darling brother, we're _El Screwo'd." _

Ron and Neville frowned, Harry merely paled.

"W-what do you mean?" Harry inquired, trying to grasp at his former cheerful mood.

Jimmy sank deeply into the vacant armchair, his face all sorts of doom and gloom. "It means, oh beloved twin, that Draco roped me into the deal as well."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. "What?"

"Seems like we'll be upholding the Potter _honor… _**together." **

OO

"It's a bloody nightmare, I swear."

Ron chuckled good-naturedly and shifted against the tree. Harry sighed and looked up at the night sky. Hoping to escape the awful fate he was doomed to, Harry sought solace in the woods behind his house. Ron, of course, was perfect company for such a getaway. He always was.

"Why do things like this happen to me? Am I just this target for unusual happenings? Do odd occurrences just like me or something? Am I forever doomed to nude photo shoots?"

"Harry, you're babbling again." Ron said, a soft smile to his face.

The brunette sighed again and let his head fall back against the tree he was perched on. Letting his feet dangle, the branch he was currently sitting on provided both a nice breeze and a good means for suicide. "I wish there was a way to get out of this without Malfoy thinking I was chickening out."

"You know there isn't. The little ferret's as good as tricking you properly as looking ferrety," Ron replied, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Harry snorted, " Looking 'ferrety'. Is that appropriate Unspeakable jargon?"

Ron blew raspberries in Harry's direction.

"Oh, and I suppose THAT is the appropriate Unspeakable way of greeting. Or would it be a mating call?"

A sharp jerk at his foot had Harry dislodged from his branch and dropping bodily into Ron's arms. "OOMPF!"

"I don't appreciate jeers made at my person, Mr. Harry." Ron said with a smirk, his face breaths away from Harry's.

Harry nodded dumbly.

Letting him down gently, Ron decided a change of topic was in order, " So what are you going to do about the bet?"

Harry's dumbness thawed and his anxiety rose up once more. "What choice do I have but to go through with it? I'm a Gryffindor and Gryffindors stand by their word."

"You WERE a Gryffindor," Ron corrected him.

Harry frowned. "I'm a Gryffindor. So are you. Doesn't matter if we're out of Hogwarts, we'll always be Gryffindors."

Ron sniffed and shifted, bringing to Harry's attention that his arms were still wrapped round his trim waist. Harry found he didn't really mind. "Anyways. So how's Sirius doing? Has Lupin sedated him into sleeping yet?"

Harry beamed, his favorite topic making all the worries of the day disappear. " Pretty much! After this weekend, Lupin says he's had quite the time trying to get Sirius to stay still long enough to eat, sleep and breathe."

Ron laughed, "Yeah, that sounds like Sirius. Always exuberant. But you can't blame the guy; he's either been locked up in a cell, on the run or in a coma for more than two-thirds of his life."

Harry dimmed, " I know. That's why I tell Lupin to just keep an eye on him, keep him company wherever he decides to go. Sirius deserves to be happy after all he's been through."

Ron solemned, "So do you."

Looking up, Harry discovered that his face was ridiculously close to Ron's chin. He could see the faint stubble from a long day, the ash from a cauldron's fire and a pink scratch from where Harry had undoubtedly caught him in his freefall to Earth. "How's work?"

Ron frowned, " Don't change the subject, Harry."

"I was just asking." Harry murmured, focusing in on the skin of Ron's neck and the spray of freckles there.

"It's fine."

"Are you happy?"

"With work?"

"Things in general."

"S'pose."

"Oh."

"Now stop trying to hide the fact that YOU'RE the unhappy one here."

"I'm not unhappy."

A gentle but firm tilt from the chin had Harry looking straight up at Ron. Had he always been this tall? Had his lips always been this full? Had his arms and body always been this warm? Had his eyes always been so beautiful?

"Harry, tell me the truth. Do you really like living in Potter Asylum and NOT Godric's Hollow?"

The brunette flicked his eyes down since a hand was still on his chin, preventing his face to do much of anything besides angle up. "No." he quietly mumbled.

"What?"

"NO." Harry repeated considerably louder. Tears suddenly sprang up in his eyes, the vehemence of his words surprising him into emotion. "No, no I don't. In fact, I hate it. I don't like thinking about it, but I can't deny that I don't exactly feel at home there. Yeah, I have Jimmy and he makes it a home, but it'll never feel like we belong there. Godric's Hollow is where we belong. Our parents' house is where we belong."

His body trembled in the slightest of ways, but knowing Ron, he felt it all the same. Harry was drawn closer, a horrible dryness creeping up his throat. " I sometimes sit up at night crying over how much I really hate Voldemort. After a whole year, I hate him just as much, if not more. He stole from me so much. So much that I can never have again. He took my parents. He took my life. He took my one true home. Thanks to him, I'll never know what it would be like to grow up with a proper family. I'll never be able to have something that was my parents that I can live in for forever."

Before he knew what was happening, Harry was sobbing into Ron's neck. Painful thoughts drowned Harry in his misery, all the well-kept secrets of his heart weaseling their way out of his eyes. And Ron held him tighter.

"I promise I'll do all in my power to give you back Godric's Hollow. It belongs to you, Harry. You deserve to enjoy it."

"How, Ron? How can you possibly give me something that's destroyed? I tried going back there; it's just too hard. The entire house is nothing but rubble and not even Dumbledore could purify the area of Voldemort's evil influence."

"I'll find a way. I'll do whatever it takes. I'll break all those ancient spells and warped hexes so you can rebuild the house like new. I'll help you even."

Harry looked up, feeling a warm, strong hand immediately find his damp cheek. "You mean it? You'll actually cleanse it?"

Ron nodded fervently, "If it takes me the rest of my life, I promise I'll cleanse Godric's Hollow."

Harry smiled slowly, and then broke out into an all out grin. Latching his arms round the redhead's neck, Harry hugged his friend as furiously as he could. "Thank you, " he mumbled.

Ron shivered and Harry felt it. Pressing a kiss against the freckles that had captivated him earlier, Harry mumbled again, " Thank you." Another kiss and again, "Thank you." More kisses and more, " Thank you."

Before either of them could think of the consequences, Harry was pressing a soft, wet kiss onto Ron's waiting mouth. Thank you's and eager kisses were all that filled both boys that night.

O-O-

One out of the two 63rd generation Potters was having massive modesty problems. It was one thing for the famous Harry Potter to get harassed by a mob of screaming fans, it was another to have that mob trying to rape him just outside of Flourish and Blotts. But so goes the life of a celebrity.

Harry was currently hiding behind a rather smelly dumpster in the narrow alley between Madam Who's Hoots and the menagerie. The past week had been nothing short of a nightmare. Someone (though Harry had a pretty damn good idea who) let slip the upcoming feature of him in WWW. Pandemonium had ensued. All week long, lines going all the way through Diagon Alley and spilling out of the Leaky Cauldron developed, the origin being Flourish and Blotts. Harry had just been passing by on his way to the Ministry when he noticed the throng of people waiting to get inside the bookstore. Curiosity didn't even have time to kick in before the crowd of squealing witches (and even wizards) caught sight of him. It was like the running of the bulls in Pamplona.

Out of sheer luck, he managed to dart down alleys and through shops just to double back. His instincts told him that the last place the crowd would look for him would be back where they began. And sure enough, looking out into the moderately empty street, Harry knew he was right. So as carefully as he could, he rushed out of cover, aiming towards Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Unable to help himself, Harry glanced inside Flourish and Blotts. There, emblazoned in the window like a Eat At Joe's sign, was the words flashing in brilliant colors: " PRE-ORDER WICKED WITCH WEEKLY, ISSUE SEPTEMBER, FEATURING ALL ACCESS HARRY POTTER INTERVIEW AND REVEALING PHOTO SPREAD."

Harry's stomach turned sour and he sprinted over to Wheezes before anyone could notice him. Bursting through the front door, making the bell ting uncontrollably and yell at him accusingly, Harry went in frantic search of a must needed confidant. "RON!"

Fred and George emerged from the back, identical looks of concern on their faces, "What's the matter, Harry?"

"I need to talk to Ron, " Harry replied, feeling the beginnings of a severe panic attack start.

"He's off doing some Unspeakable thing or another," Fred said, unable to contain his snort of amusement at his own jibe.

Harry slumped considerably, feeling lost and unhinged. How quickly things had gone wrong! One minute he was being dragged all over town doing shopping, the next he was facing down a nude photo shoot and now he was running from a mob of psychos who wanted to do Merlin knows what to him! "My life is one disaster after another."

George plopped down besides the distraught boy as Fred finished off with a customer. "I have to agree with you on that one, Har."

Fred strolled over, handing Harry a white chocolate butterfly, "If you're not snogging your brother, you're posing in your skivvies for the entire wizarding world."

"And if you're not doing that, you're saving the wizarding world," George added in.

"And if you're not doing THAT, you're snogging your brother."

Harry scowled, "Thanks guys. You sure are a huge help."

"Anytime mate." Fred said with a grin.

Shoving his candy into his mouth, Harry resigned himself for a mad dash to the Ministry where, hopefully, his brother would be waiting to comfort him with open arms. And maybe a mouth. Standing up and bidding his Weasleys a quick goodbye, Harry shot out of the store and raced as inconspicuously as he could to the Ministry steps. Once he mounted the staircase, a rising noise began to develop behind him. Chancing a glance back, he saw that his fan club from earlier had found him. Not wasting another minute longer, Harry jammed up the last stretch of stairs and bolted through the door. Fortunately for him, the guard on duty knew him and let him pass without a search and show of badge. Harry hustled his way through the lobby, the mirror and the hallway until he managed to catch the elevator before anyone from the fan club got inside. With a huge breath of relief, Harry enjoyed the ride up to Jimmy's floor.

He wasted no time running down the hallway and into the circular room, seeing no one but his twin brother sifting through mounds of paperwork.

"Jimmy!"

The brunette looked up with a blink, and started when Harry deposited himself across the boy's desk. "Er, hello?"

Harry sprawled out and ranted like only heroes do, "I had to dodge molesters and rapists all week long! I've had enough! I'm owling Malfoy soon as my last class lets out and I'm calling this whole thing off!"

Jimmy sighed sympathetically and smoothed back Harry's rumpled hair. "Your ponytail came out."

"I don't care about ponytails! I want my dignity intact by the time I turn 20!" Harry grumbled.

"What makes you think you won't have dignity after this?" Jimmy asked, twirling strand after strand of Harry's hair round his fingers.

"Because, you great louse! Every witch and wizard from 13-82 will have my wanker plastered over his or her wall! " Harry screamed, getting a good deal riled up.

Jimmy frowned and pressed a kiss onto Harry's forehead. "Oh get a grip Harry. Not EVERYONE is going to jerk off to you."

"That's not what I meant, but now that you mention it, I'm sure that's EXACTLY what they're going to do. "

"People are not that desperate to get into bed with you that they'd tape your picture onto a pillow and hump it into oblivion."

Harry stared horrified at his brother. "I'm not even going to ask."

"Long story, good times. Anyways, you're making too much of this. Just think of it as a…well…as a character enhancement. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

Harry sat up and narrowed his eyes at the young man next to him. " You inhale doxy cleansers, don't you."

Jimmy smiled, as if this amused him greatly, and pecked Harry's lips, " Just remember I'LL be naked right there next to you."

Harry blushed furiously at the onslaught of mental images. Jimmy chuckled. Feeling hot breath on his neck, Harry managed to suppress a moan but shut his eyes all the same.

"All hot, sweaty and naked, pressed against you in all the sick and twisted ways they'll want us. Then, when we get home…I'm going to be all hot, sweaty and naked, pressed against you in all the sick and twisted ways **_I_** want us."

Harry groaned.

"Deal, big brother?"

"Deal, " Harry croaked, not really knowing what he was agreeing to, but liking the kisses on his neck anyways.

"Why don't I help you out with that bulge in your pants? I can't let you going back to the Academy like that, now can I? It wouldn't be very brotherly of me." Jimmy cooed into Harry's ear, nipping and licking.

Through the fog of desire, Harry knew the warning signs of a bad idea. And this one was flashing and wailing like a 10-car pile up. But like everything else in his life, Harry didn't act fast enough to stop it and before he knew it, he was panting and coming into Jimmy's skilled hands.

O-O-

"I changed my mind, I don't want to do this."

"Little late for that, mate."

"This is wrong, it has to be. Somewhere in the world, this is illegal."

"You're over 18, it's legal everywhere."

"Not without my consent, its not!"

"Oh, do stop screaming, Potter, you're giving me a migraine."

"We're ready!"

Harry exerted his best resolve and stood rooted to the spot behind Ron. Malfoy was looking very much exasperated, and Jimmy was being useless and examining his nails.

"This is too fast! Can't we wait another week, month, YEAR!" Harry exclaimed, clutching the backs of Ron's robes like his only salvation.

"You agreed to this date, Pothead. Now come on, it's not going to be THAT bad, " Malfoy sighed, passing a roll of parchment to one of the techs.

"Then YOU strip and pose in front of a camera." Harry growled.

"Its against my religion, "Malfoy replied shortly, signing off something or another.

For the most part, Malfoy had been gracious. He'd arranged for the shoot to be at his manor, a VERY small crew, and absolutely NO one was allowed in unless HE signed them off. Malfoy Manor was great for privacy, seeing as already numerous reporters and fans had discovered the various pits, traps and hexes awaiting them once they stepped foot on the property. But Harry was still against all this. After the initial two-hour long interview with a rather flushed female journalist, where Harry revealed more than he was comfortable revealing, he was manhandled into the innards of the manor where Malfoy had said would be the most suitable place to hold the elicit photo shoot.

So, now, Harry was facing down a handful of aids who were looking much too predatory to be helpful, a Malfoy who was enjoying himself FAR too much, a stupefied Ron who was looking a little pale and an oblivious Jimmy who was reveling in all the attention. Really, it was more than one Gryffindor could take.

"Can we just call it off?" Harry begged in his most noble sounding tone of voice.

Malfoy considered him for a moment, then flashed a scroll in his face, "You signed, Potter. Sorry".

Harry resigned himself to simply brooding and accepting his hopeless fate. Ron forced a smile out for him, "It'll be alright, Harry. It'll be over before you know it."

Harry looked at his best friend, "Don't you think it's violating that everyone who can spare a few galleons will be able to see me and Jimmy naked?"

Ron's face seemed to forget about looking somewhat optimistic, "Maybe it crossed my mind."

Harry looked expectant.

"It was YOUR fault you let Malfoy egg you on, Harry."

Harry scowled, "Thanks for reminding me."

Ron scowled. "Don't go getting mad at ME. It _WAS_ your fault and now you have to face the consequences."

"But I atleast expected you to side with ME, not _HIM,"_ Harry said, a warning quiver in his voice.

"I'm not siding with anyone here. I'm just saying how it is, "Ron replied.

"Since when do you 'say how it is' ? You've always sided with me."

" That's not true! Back in fourth year, I didn't side with you."

"And that's a prime example of where you SHOULD'VE. Do you even remember how that turned out?"

Ron was looking redder by the minute. "That's not the point. I-"

"You got mad at me for something I didn't do and our friendship suffered because you were an idiot!"

"What does my mistake have anything to do with it?"

" Because, it proves my point that you really shouldn't go off and form opinions on matters you know nothing about."

Even Malfoy winced at that one.

"Incase you haven't noticed, the world doesn't revolve around your fat head! I can have any opinions I want! If I want to say your arse is as big as a hippocampus', well, I'm going to say it!"

"Your lucky I-"

"And If I want to say you kiss like a fish, I'm going to say it!"

"WHAT!"

"And if I want to say you're the biggest git this side of Snape, then I'm going to say it!"

"You take that back!"

"No!"

"Take that back!"

"Make me!"

Wrestling in a bathrobe is NEVER a good idea.

"Hey now! None of that until the cameras are ready!"

Ron huffed off while Harry clutched his robe tightly around himself. He didn't know if his face was red because he just flashed the entire left side of the room or because Ron pissed him off to no degree or because Ron's hands felt so damn good on his skin.

In any case, Harry was properly bristled and Jimmy moved in for the kill.

"Why do you insist on bringing him along for everything? You know he only pisses you off."

Harry growled and stalked over to the bed they had arranged. "Lets get this over with!"

The crew jumped into action, bustling about and readying the set for the biggest photo shoot since the invention of the camera.

Harry was in a foul mood. He was sitting prim and proper on the edge of the mattress, his chin jerked up, his arms crossed, his robe sliding haphazardly off a shoulder and his face set in a dark glower. In other words, the cameraman was in heaven.

"Mai name es Raul. I came all de way from Espana to picture famous Harry Potter. Don't chu worry, sexy, Raul make chu look STUNNING. " And with that, the greasy-haired looking man started snapping away." Oh, dat's it! Dat's it! Fabulouso! Bien! Esta un natural Harry Potter!"

Harry could see Malfoy looking quite shocked. He sneered. _Stupid Slytherin. Thinking just because I'm a Gryffindor, I can't take a picture. Well, I'll show him, the arrogant ponce. _

" Raul don't think he see dis side of chu before! Es fabulouso! Harry Potter es hiding dis from Raul, hasn't he? Chu lil' minx."

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes, knowing he couldn't very well be THAT rude.

"Now, Harry Potter and brother pose for Raul, si? Bien. Brother, go on bed with Harry Potter. Si, si, bien."

Harry was having a harder time than he thought being this close to a half-naked Jimmy. The boy was positively glowing and he instantly matched Harry's gloomy stare perfectly. Raul was besides himself and using up a second roll of film.

"Brother-"

"I have a name, and it's Jimmy." The brunette purred dangerously. Unfortunately, it happened to be right next to Harry's ear.

"Ok. James. James goes next to Harry Potter. Si, si, bien. Good. Put arms round James. No be shy, put put!"

Harry's conscious was kicking in, so was his SELF-conscious. Anymore stimulation outside of platonic arm touching would send Harry right over the edge. And no thickness of robes could hide his doom. But as the yapping Spaniard demanded, Harry slipped his arms round Jimmy's middle. Their descending robes exposed their chests, and Harry gasped as he felt bare skin press against his. _Oh Merlin, just 20 more minutes!_

"Bien! Now look at Raul. Bien bien! Pout lips! Dark looks! OOOoh! You're angry! You're sexy! You're on fire!"

_Was there anyway to make the cauldron behind Raul accidentally scald him to death? _

"Ok! Off with robes! We see skin!"

Harry felt his stomach churn and he gripped onto the terrycloth protectively.

"Come on, bro. Let's see that bod, " Jimmy teased through a grin.

Harry gulped and crawled under the thick blankets. There he discarded the robe and tossed it out of frame. Huddling beneath the covers, Harry felt a horrible blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Harry Potter be sick?"

Harry shook his head vigorously, slowly building his resolve up, "No. Just give me a minute."

"Raul es ready when Harry Potter es ready."

Jimmy crawled over and wrapped his arms round the nervous youth. "It'll be ok, Harry. You'll look back on this day and laugh."

Harry grimaced, " Yeah, after I'm dead."

Jimmy hugged him and cried, "You're my hero, big brother!"

Harry looked at him as if he'd lost his mind, then burst out laughing. Jimmy grinned and ruffled the boy's hair.

"That's more like it. Now, come on, lets teach the world of Draco Malfoys why they shouldn't mess with Potters."

18 minutes later, Harry was very pleased with himself. He'd gotten through it with only minimal embarrassment. The time the blankets caught on Jimmy's foot and scooted a BIT too low off Harry's pelvis, was a moment of pure horror. Raul loved it and said it'd be the cover page. Other than a few incidents like that, Harry came out of it relatively unscathed.

Ron continued to brood and told off Harry once more when they were leaving. Malfoy agreed to sign over his manor as soon as he moved all his things into a seaside estate that suited his exact needs. Harry refused the proposal and instead, settled for both pride and the glorious satisfaction of seeing Malfoy on his knees, apologizing. Raul photographed the occasion and let Harry keep the original for prosperity. Or his own vengeful purposes. Either one.

At home, Harry allowed himself ample time to let the stress of the past week come spilling out of him in the form of a good scream. Jimmy watched like a waiting hawk from the staircase.

"All done?" Jimmy inquired as Harry finished his last shout.

"Yeah, I think that's all, "Harry panted, feeling MUCH better about the world.

"So, how does it feel?"

"What?"

"To have your naked form immortalized on film."

"To my defense, Raul was courteous and kept BOTH of our private parts covered."

"Yeah, I'll have to thank him for that."

Harry eyed his twin, tossing their cloaks into the coat closet, " Did I hear right? Was Mr. I'll-shed-my-clothes-for-anything-as-long-as-a lot-of-people-gawk-at-me actually NERVOUS?"

Jimmy shifted, "Not nervous, per say, but-"

"Nervous."

"Ok, fine! I was all out terrified! But who wouldn't be! I mean…" Jimmy trailed off, his gaze rising from the floor to focus in on Harry." I didn't want anyone seeing what was mine."

Harry blinked. Before he knew what was happening, he was pinned against the wall and Jimmy was plundering his mouth. A rogue hand found the bulge in his jeans and Harry groaned into the eager mouth.

"This is mine, and mine only…God, I've wanted you all day. Watching you and feeling you pressed against me was TORTURE." Jimmy breathed onto Harry's neck.

Harry moaned and put up little resistance as he was bodily ushered upstairs and into one of their rooms. With the light off, he couldn't tell whose room it was, but once the back of his knees hit the mattress and he tumbled back, Harry knew. It was his. He could recognize the faint smell of lavender and the thousands of soft pillows.

Jimmy wasted no time. Harry's trousers and shirt were off and thrown before he had a chance to gasp. With his fingers dug into the bed, hot breath and wet lips attacking his bare body, Harry didn't know up from down. Nor did he care. All that seemed to matter was the now naked form of Jimmy aligned perfectly atop him.

How strange it felt. Never before had they gone this far, and Harry was feeling the fluttering in his stomach turn into full out spasms. Jimmy rocked and grinded and moaned, working up into a frenzy. Harry bucked and pleaded and panted, arching as much as he could into the body above him.

Then his legs were being spread and an uncomfortable prodding turned into blinding pain. Immediately, Harry cried out and pushed Jimmy off of him.

"W-what's wrong? I thought you-"

"Well I didn't." Harry snapped. Even through the lightless night, Harry could feel his brother wince.

"I'm sorry, I'll go slower next time. I promise. I'll be gentle-"

"I don't feel well, "Harry mumbled and pushed himself off the bed. Quickly pulling on his pants, Harry stumbled out of the room as fast as his unstable legs could carry him, a hot stinging stirring behind his eyes. They took him all the way out the house and deep into the woods. Stopping randomly, Harry sunk down to the moist earth and hugged his knees to himself.

There, in the pathetic ball shadowing much of his childhood, Harry let his sobs surface. Painful, loud, deep sobs. It was wrong. He knew that now. All of it. It was all wrong. He knew why it had felt strange. JIMMY felt strange. And then he almost…

Harry pierced his nails straight into the skin of his biceps, relishing in the distraction. If the Dursleys were here now, he knew what they would say. Even with their last year as something akin to normal, Harry's dreadful relatives would've undoubtedly reverted to their original nasty selves.

_"You filthy, disgusting little freak! Only from my sister would such a vile creature be born," Petunia would shriek in her shrill voice. Her bony face would glare down at him in utmost disdain. _

_" You sick and twisted abomination! Get out of my house before you dame us all with your sins!" Vernon would howl, his pink face turning puce and his hollow eyes piercing straight through his flesh. _

_" You're such a fag, Harry! If I had known how much you liked to get beat on by boys, I would've told my friends to do it more!" Dudley would squeal, his piggy face matching his piggy tail._

At this moment, Harry would give anything to go back in time and change it all. Stop it before it got this far. Stop it before he let himself feel things he knew were wrong. He almost ached for the sanctity of his former life. The no-name scrawny boy with an odd scar and a horrible family. Atleast then he knew there was hope for him. Somewhere, there was family waiting for him, with open arms.

Now? Now he knew the face to that wish. It looked exactly like his and it wanted to take his virginity. It wanted to love him in ways he knew were wrong.

But…how could he deny himself this? After so long, being all alone, he would have someone unconditionally devoted to him. There was NO chance whatsoever that Jimmy would leave him. Voldemort was dead, they had a bright future, they had a home together. Nothing could take all that hope away from their lives.

But Harry didn't want it like this. He knew what love was like, he'd had it with Cienna. Maybe not as strong as he would've liked, but he was only sixteen then. Love was supposed to be pure and powerful. It would lift him higher than a Firebolt ever could. It would give him angel's wings.

Harry curled up on the cool grass, feeling rough bark dig into his bare back. The blades tickled his cheeks, as if they were brushing away his tears. Feeling lower than he'd ever felt in the cupboard, Harry closed his eyes. A chilly wind picked up and rustled his hair the same way Jimmy did. Skin became velvety fur and the sobs died away into soft whimpers of anguish.

The gray stag curled up into a ball, its tears of sorrow collecting in pools of silver at the base of a tree that earlier that day witnessed a tender moment between a boy and his best friend.

* * *

Translations: 

1) I cannot believe that little bastard! I'll peel that cocky face right off his bones and feed it to him! How dare he! I will kill him!

2) What happened? What happened is Draco Malfoy is a deceitful, devious, dastardly little prick and he better hope I don't find him or I'll kill him


	12. His Agony SPECIAL CHAPTER ADDITION

On a blank bit of parchment, words were scribbled in the dead of night. Tears pattered softly against the paper, streaking theink in angry bolts of ebony. After it was finished, the man gazed upon his masterpiece. In moments, it was aflame, his feelings burning and dying with the parchment. The last attempt at exorcism. Last attempt at sanity...

This is what Harry Potterwrote...

Polished Transgression

It's the worst thing I could've done  
It's the worst mistake I could've made.

It's the worst thing I could've done  
It's the worst mistake I could've made.

I look at you and think suicide  
You remind me of all I love and all I hate  
Standing at decency's thin line  
With you looking at me that way  
I find I don't care

The line of your lips  
Meets the end of my soul  
With a roll of your hips  
Kills all that I know  
I ache for your kiss  
But plead for no more  
It's all ugly and wrong, but still  
My most beautiful mistake  
My beautiful sin

So much we've done  
But so much left to do  
The sight of you makes me sick  
Your skin coaxing sweat from my own  
And I lose myself in the horror

And I know this should stop  
But I can't find the strength to stop you  
I will your mouth on my body  
But God, I wish it would end

The line of your lips  
Meets the end of my soul  
With a roll of your hips  
Kills all that I know  
I ache for your kiss  
But plead for no more  
It's all ugly and wrong, but still  
My most beautiful mistake  
My beautiful sin


	13. Bring About My Darkness

Hello Gentle Readers!  
I know it was a loooong wait, but i hope it was worth it. I spent alot of time writing out the next few chapters, and I think its going well. I got 2 more chapters typed out and I'm working on outlining the rest. Anyways, here's a special blurb from the upcoming chapter and the long awaited Bring About My Darkness!

_Harry quirked a brow and glanced at the brunette, " Why didn't we just Apparate to the village if you know where it is?"_

_Sirius grimaced subtlely, " Its impossible to Apparate there anymore. The Ministry's deemed it a restricted Apparation zone."_

_Harry frowned, stopping short, " But, restricted sections are only permitted when an area's been contaminated-"_

_"By evil forces. I know."_

_"Then why - "_

_Sirius sighed and nodded. The look on the boy's face spoke volumes. _

_"Sirius...where are we going?"_

_With one last sigh, Sirius stepped inside the abadoned delictassen, saying with a solemn voice. " Godric's Hollow."_

* * *

+ #1 crush Garbage +  
+ ' Exit Music' Radiohead+

Hermione Granger never let herself get out of control. She was very happy to state that not once in her entire life did she allow passion, or the heat of the moment, to rob her of rational thought or common sense. OK, apart from that one time when she slapped Malfoy...but that was different...

Well, that was until an unexpected encounter with The Muse of the Shower late one night at the Ministry triggered the darkness left inside her from Voldemort's abduction. She soon discovers that her Muse is in grave danger, and only she can stop it...but will she make it on time? Can Hermione fight off the dark urges threatening to suffocate her before its too late?

- - - -

How was it that even after a perilous run in with the Dark Lord, Hermione Granger still never lost her sense of overachieving? With a heavy sigh, Hermione hefted the last of the thick, dusty tomes onto their shelves and gathered up her things. For over two years now, Hermione had been a columnist for the Daily Prophet. Somehow, knowing things before anyone else did and knowing she was telling people what they needed to know gave her back some of the power she had lost while being under You-Know-Who's control. Even now, in the dark solitude of the Ministry reference library, the brunette could still feel those cold red eyes piercing her with their spell. A shiver shot up her neck and Hermione hurried along.

She hated going any place alone, but it could hardly be helped. Investigating and researching called for long hours and those long hours usually involved being alone. Sometimes, she'd have a small staff if the project were big enough. But being a Consumer Goods writer, they generally weren't. She got away with testing out the new products on either Crookshanks or their neighbor friend, Dave Pensioti.

Another sigh escaped her as she walked sullenly down the hallway. A lot was weighing on her mind lately, Dave being one of them. He was a muggle-born, just like her. He liked to read and go to the museums and vacation at the shore. He liked rugby, not Quidditch so much just because he didn't fly too well. He was sweet and considerate and normal. A sinking sensation grew in Hermione's stomach at the thought. Normal. It was funny to consider a wizard, normal. But in her line of experience, a normal wizard was a blessing.

Now, when she was referring to normal, she was really saying "Not Harry-like." Hermione pressed hard on the elevator button, and then calculated the stairs. She could do with a nice long walk to clear her head. Thinking about Harry tended to wind up Hermione's nerves. It wasn't his fault, really. It was just what he represented. Harry reminded her of the War and Voldemort. She hated being reminded of the War and Voldemort. So, she ended things and she hadn't spoken to him since. Maybe it was pretty low of her to abandon Harry when he really needed her, but she couldn't stand seeing his face and remembering their intimate moments together. Especially when she had no control over whether she wanted to participate or not. It was like being raped, over and over and over.

But, really, it wasn't Harry's fault! He had no clue and he honestly thought Hermione had fallen inlove with him. Poor guy. After all he'd been through with the Dursleys, Hermione went and made it worse by never really loving him like that. And yet, he still tried to say hello to her and was just as nice as when she first met him. Remembering the scrawny little boy who sat next to the redhead as she asked if they'd seen a toad, made Hermione's heart clench. So much was lost because of the evil Dark Lord. Just SO much.

A sudden clatter made Hermione jerk out of her reverie, her tears brought to an abrupt halt. It came from the end of the hall marked "employees only". Unable to resist the journalist in her, Hermione scampered down the corridor and saw the last door on the right ajar. Ignoring the fact that it read "Men's Locker Room", the brunette slipped inside and made her way through the darkened aisles of lockers. Her instincts were telling her this was a bad idea, but the Gryffindor in her was hollering about an adventure. It'd been so long since shed had one.

Peering round the end of the lockers, she saw steam rolling over the tiles like a fog coming in. Someone was showering at THIS time of night? As far as Hermione knew, no one else aside from the night guard was here at half past midnight. Even the Minister left home after their lengthy interview. Curiosity getting the better of her, she crept closer. A gentle humming broke over the steady drum of the shower head and Hermione wished she could drop into a hole. She knew that voice. Hell, she only heard it just the other day. Against her better judgment, Hermione glanced into the showers. All the way at the end, shining, slick and tan, was Jimmy Potter.

At first glance, he very well could've been Harry, but Hermione could tell. Harry had that wonderful lion tattoo on his pelvis and his hair was so beautifully long. Jimmy had endless miles of tan skin, unblemished aside from the black dragon on his shoulder blade, and his short hair stuck out in erratic locks like Harry's used to. But why was he here, showering? Didn't he have a shower at home?

She didn't know why, but the presence of the Potter intruding on her usual solitude annoyed Hermione to no end. Yeah, she knew Jimmy was Fudge's personal assistant, but with the way things were going in the Ministry politics, that wouldn't be the case for very long. Fudge was losing popularity and it was only inevitable that when elections rolled around, he and his staff would be ousted.

But then again, Jimmy was a POTTER and Potters were a valuable asset to the Ministry.

Suddenly, Hermione's stomach plummeted as the scene before changed drastically. Before her now was the locker room, yes, but much later than usual. The silence was deafening, except for the pitter-patter of a shower head just turned off. There was a rush of movement and soon she discovered that she was not alone. Three bodies thrashed about in front of her, hidden in the shadows of the looming lockers. Two of them threw the third against the wall and a strategically placed sliver of light flashed across a young man's terrified face. The man never had the chance to escape, for just as he let loose a scream, a bright flash of red hit him and he slumped to the floor. The locker room began to fade just as the voices belonging to the attackers started to speak.

"….he'll get what he deserves…"

"…be distinguished among Death-Eaters worldwide…"

"…his brother will surely follow…"

"…DEAD…."

Hermione was bolted back into reality with a nauseous twinge in her gut. Without one last look at the showering Potter, Hermione scrambled out the room and quickly descended the stairs she originally considered. The vision would haunt her well into the night. The vision of a horrified Jimmy Potter being kidnapped.

OO

Ok, so, she wasn't entirely sure why she'd seen Jimmy Potter getting attacked by a pair of thugs in the Ministry locker rooms, but it probably wasn't good. Not that it mattered. What was she expecting to do?

With a frown, Hermione brought her mug of chamomile tea to her lips and sipped tentatively. Crookshanks sat purring in her lap and she just knew Dave was watching her from across the table.

"All right, out with it. What's wrong?"

Sometimes it was eerie being right all the time.

"Nothing, Dave. I'm just tired from work." She mumbled round the lip of her cup.

Dave frowned at her, his brown eyes filled with concern. "I know that's not it. You've been working late nights for over 6 months now. So tell me the truth."

Hermione looked out the window of her flat, pondering over whether it'd be functional to purchase a muggle car with her next paycheck or stick to Apparating.

"Does it have to do with that one magazine's special on Harry Potter?"

Hermione turned a startled gaze back onto the boy. "W-what?"

Dave sighed and sank back in his chair. "That's it, isn't it? I knew it the second you saw the thing at the bookstore. Why couldn't you just tell me it upset you to see your old best friend on the cover of a smut magazine?"

Hermione was at a loss. Dave was giving her a perfect lie to cover up what was truly bothering her." I'm sorry, Dave. I know I should've said something, but…I just felt…ashamed." Well, not a TOTAL lie. She HAD spouted steam at the ears and spoke in gibberish after she'd seen the positions Harry and Jimmy were put into for the photos.

"There's nothing to feel ashamed about, 'Mione." Dave said with a reassuring smile.

Hermione smiled for his sake, though her insides were wringing at the nickname which was originally preserved for only two other men in this world, both of which she never spoke to anymore. "I know. I can't help it."

Dave reached across the table and took her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. At times like this, Hermione wished she were rude and could just yank her hand back and stomp off to some solitude. " It must be so hard knowing your friend is bi."

That struck a nerve. Hermione slipped her hand out of Dave's and walked into the kitchen. Dave followed, of course.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so blunt."

Hermione shut the oven after checking on their supper and rounded on him, " Yes you did! You made it sound like he's this bottom feeder! He's not a poor lost soul, David! He just likes guys!"

Dave shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable, " Well, YEAH, but, I mean…It's wrong."

Hermione saw red." Says who? YOU? The stupid society you grew up in? Harry is a beautiful person and it doesn't matter whether he likes guys or girls or HORSES! He's free to love whomever he chooses! And its bigots like YOU who make him feel like he can't tell a soul, lest he be damned to hell for all eternity." It was irrational, really. Blaming all this on a stupid comment Dave made. But the fact that Harry really was bi and that he'd kept it a secret for fear of persecution made a place in Hermione's heart ache.

"Harry is the bravest, most caring soul one could ever meet. I'm proud of him."

A light flickered on in Dave's eyes and his stance became less submissive. "You love him, don't you?"

Hermione had had enough. Shooing him out without another word, Hermione slammed and locked the door behind him, not bothering to tell him if she'd call him later.

Once that was all taken care of, Hermione slid down the wall and curled up, sobbing into her hands. She hated admitting it. She never wanted to think about it. She avoided it like the plague. But the fact of the matter was Hermione Granger, despite the circumstances it had happened, was still madly in love with Harry Potter.

OO

" …He ssshall pay dearly for thisss…"

"Yes my Lord."

"I want hisss blood on my grave…"

"As you will, my Lord."

"He ssshall rue thisss day…Potter ssshall rue…"

"NO!"

Hermione sat bolt upright in her bed, beads of cold sweat trickling down her skin. A shaky hand found her face and Hermione sobbed into the darkness of her bedroom. No more, PLEASE, God, no more…Not again…

Unable to find sleep once more, Hermione got up and dressed. Figuring an early start wouldn't kill her, the brunette set off to the Daily Prophet to finish up her article on the Minister and elections and the possible revolt brewing. The day was young, a refreshing September morning breeze ruffling at her loose ponytail. The early rising birds were just starting to warm up their vocal chords as Hermione Apparated infront of the Daily Prophet building, situated (as luck would have it) across the street from the Ministry. Walking up, she discovered the door to be locked (big surprise) and dug in her thick bag for the key. Feeling someone approaching her, Hermione spun around to discover a certain raven-haired young man climbing the steps to the Ministry. Arching a brow she walked over, the locked newspaper door left forgotten, and hustled to catch up. The man was struggling with the door, which seemed to be hissing at him and emitting strange yellow sparks.

"You stupid door, " he grunted and gave another mighty tug. "Why can't blasted Fudge just get another one?"

As the door belched in his face, leaving a rather pine-y scent in the air, the lad had had enough.

"I'm not in the mood for this!" He yelled, his voice echoing down empty Diagon Alley. Whipping out his wand, his brandished it about in a flurry.

"Need help?"

The man turned round, face flushed with fury and blinked. "...Hermione Granger?"

Hermione gulped and considered making a run for the Prophet door. But soon she found agonizingly piercing green eyes boring into her. Somehow, she managed a weak smile and laughed nervously. "Hi Jimmy."

He didn't seem all that pleased to see her, however. "What're you doing here?"

"I work over at the Daily Prophet, remember? Its not as if you've never seen me before." Hermione replied in a huff.

Jimmy shrugged and went back to unlocking the troublesome door. "Not since you dumped Harry at our birthday party last month, no."

Hermione frowned. "He told you?"

"Course he did. He's my BROTHER." Even from here, she could hear his sneer.

The double doors burst open with a wet 'Pop!' and Jimmy turned with a look of satisfaction on his face before he caught sight of her still standing there.

"Look, Jimmy, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt him, its just that-"

"Save it, " Jimmy growled. " I don't want to hear anything you have to say. " And with that, he went to walk away.

Desperate for an ally of some sort, someone who would understand what she was going through, and someone who was currently being targeted by what was left of Voldemort's Death-Eaters, Hermione reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "Jimmy, PLEASE. I thought we were friends. You understood where I was coming from before, remember? The past year. All our talks. We told eachother things. Important things. Special things. Things I know no one else could understand…Me with my darkness and your confession about graduation night…"

Jimmy's eyes darkened, his muscles tightening beneath the cloth she clutched. In an instant, Hermione found herself on her bum and seriously considering if the Potters had a violent streak in their family.

"Don't you EVER touch me again, you tramp! I don't care WHAT we talked about, none of it matters now!"

Hermione blinked. She might've been foolish for doing so, but she was a smart girl and she knew when she hit someone's nerve. "I never told anyone about Malfoy, you know. I kept my word…and I still think he feels more than he's letting on."

Jimmy took a step back, as if those words were a physical blow to him.

Hermione decided to go with it. "He cares about you, Jimmy. It's so obvious. Why can't you see it? Why are you so scared?"

Jimmy's frame shrunk, leaving him looking like a defeated football player. "I..I…"

"You what, Jimmy?" Though her arse was stinging like hell, Hermione could tell she hit the nail on the head. Jimmy was cracking and he was fighting it. Just a little more nudging and he would tell her everything and she'd have a good chance at persuading him to never use the Ministry showers ever again.

"I'm inlove with someone who hurt me badly…"

"Why did they hurt you, Jimmy?"

The brunette lowered his eyes, looking for the world a hurt and confused little boy. " He didn't want me…He just ran out on me. He regrets us."

Hermione rose to her feet, taking a chance and stepping back over to him. In the back of her mind, hermione sighed at the fact that the boy said 'he' instead of 'she'. " Are you certain he feels that way?"

"I…I'm not sure. I mean, I know it was far-fetched that people would accept us, yes, but I just thought…"At this, Jimmy took in a shuttering breath that Hermione felt all the way down to her toes. The pause he took was alarming and he looked downright lost in his own mind. Then he looked up, and Hermione could've sworn she saw a flash of panic streak across his green eyes before he blocked it all from her gaze. " He was older than me. But I didn't care. He was the first person I ever remembered from before the orphanage…To me, he was the most wonderful thing I would ever remember."

Hermione frowned. Being smart sometimes had its downsides. Like being able to put two and two together and get a werewolf. " I'm sure Lupin didn't mean to hurt you." Jimmy's eyes held confusion as they stared at her. Hermione smiled in spite of herself. "It was kind of obvious, but I promise not to tell a soul."

Jimmy seemed appeased enough since his body slumped against the doorway.

"How long?"

"Ah...Just the one time. December, two years ago."

"Wasn't that right when you came here?"

"Yep."

Hermione was pleasantly flabbergasted. The Potters never disappointed her in surprises. "That long? But how…How did you deal with it?"

"Oh, well, he sat me down the night things went out of hand and he told me we couldn't do this, that he loved me, but only as a son and that there were so many people out there that would love to be in love with me…"

"Why was he so scared?"

"Who knows? He probably felt if anyone found out, his life, along with mine, would be lost forever in the media frenzy that would shake the world so bad it'd bring about the apocalypse."

Hermione frowned. "Do you still love him?"

Jimmy shrugged, examining his shoes. "I'm not sure. It's brinking more on obsession, but, I...I try not to think about it. "

"Its got to be hard."

"I have other things, other people, to keep my mind off of it."

"Like who?"

The corners of his mouth twitched and Hermione thought that MAYBE she was better off never asking.

"I don't think I should tell y-"

"Tell me."

"You won't like it, trust me."

"Just tell me."

"…"

"Jimmy. Who is it?"

"A heart's love knows no boundaries."

"Whats that mean?"

"Just that I have no business loving this person."

"Why?"

"Because no one would ever forgive me for loving him and hurting him the way I have, not even him."

Hermione stared, it was all she could do. "That bad?"

"Worse even."

Well, that left little options as to who it could be. And it was so painfully obvious Hermione found it hard to say so. It wasn't as if Jimmy's tastes were all that differen since she last met him. He chose friends, people close and dear to him, people he trusted above all else. He chose the forbidden friends, if Skye was any indicator. Or Remus Lupin for that matter. If Jimmy felt so strongly about keeping it from everyone, though, maybe it was best if she shut her trap.

"It's Malfoy, am I right?" Or not.

Jimmy only had time to look up in shock before a pair of ministry officials waltzed up to them and greeted the Potter. Taking his cue, Jimmy darted inside, leaving Hermione to sputter in indignation. _Oh! So THAT'S how he likes to play. Well fine. I'll weasel the truth from him and save his sorry arse from getting maimed and/or tortured by sadistic Death-Eaters while I'm at it._

Well, the plan seemed easier than it turned out. She never considered the fact that Jimmy Potter was the second most unapproachable guy right behind Harry. Jimmy was constantly flocked by co-workers, Fudge, other Ministry officials, angry witches and wizards, and fans.

It was with these fans that Hermione found herself, about a week later, mingling amongst to get an appropriate timetable to Jimmy's hectic schedule since her own digging turned up fruitless. It was creepy how much these psychos knew about him. All the way down to how he liked his toast (buttered with strawberry preserves).

In anycase, a young witch with unbelievably blue hair informed her that Jimmy liked to take his lunch in either his office, catching up on his workload, or at the Auror Academy. Today, she hoped it was the prior so she could keep an eye on him while she interviewed the assistant secretary in the magical reversal squad department.

As luck would have it, just as she was closing up the interview, the man in question strolled past the window on his way out. Quickly gathering her things, Hermione blurted out a hasty goodbye and bolted after him. Using what was left of her sneaking skills she'd developed from her Hogwarts days, Hermione tailed the young man as best she could and snuck onto the elevator behind a large woman. Ducking behind a magazine she'd nicked, Hermione wedged herself between the obese lady and a portly old man who strangely smelled of flobberworms and patchouli.

Pretending she was interested in what she was reading, it came as a complete shock when a gasp filled the car and the magazine was ripped from her fingers.

Looking up baffled, she watched as Jimmy gawked down at the page, growing paler with each passing second. Unable to quell her curiosity, Hermione leaned over inconspiculously and peered over the Potter's tense shoulder. A hand to the mouth was barely made in time before a gasp of her own escaped her.

A rather unflattering picture of a half naked Harry wrapped in Jimmy's arms, giggling like a schoolgirl, was emblazoned across 2 pages with the words '**How Close Is Too Close: An expose on the startling article in Wicked Witch Weekly'.**

Hermione had barely enough time to register the absurdity of the first claim that Jimmy and Harry had eloped in the States when visiting an old vampire friend before the doors opened at the lobby and Jimmy tore across the room.

Scurrying after a Potter on a mission proved to be both difficult and exhausting. Luckily, it didn't take a genius to figure out where Jimmy was going in such a hurry. So, finding the first available fireplace in a nearby tea shop, Hermione flooed to the Auror Academy. Stumbling out of the guest grate, Hermione hurried over to the guard on duty.

"Excuse me, but would you know where I could find student records?"

The guard peered down at her curiously before pointing in the needed direction. Waving a thank you at him, Hermione was off. She didn't get very far, however, when a flurry of robes shot across the hall and plowed an unsuspecting student to behind a statue.

Biting her lip, Hermione tip-toed as close as she dared, tucking herself behind a suit of armor, all the while hoping she would discover the truth behind Jimmy and his secretive nature and the sickening magazine article.

"..see this! I thought Draco said the wards prevented shit like this!"

"Thats what -I- thought...Bloody hell..."

"What're we going to do! Now the entire wizarding world is going to be thinking things, if they hadn't already from that photo shoot."

"Who would've done this?"

"It doesn't say. It only says the photos were from an anonymous source. So, who hates you?"

"Who hates YOU?"

"Everyone from the Golden Boy fanclub, now. Oh, yanno what? It was probably Ron. He got jealous and went on a vengeful shooting spree."

"Jimmy, this isn't a time for jokes. We're seriously screwed."

"I wasn't joking. He probably did it. Don't think I'm so stupid as to not know about your and Ron's little trysts."

"H-how...? Ugh, yanno what? Nevermind. I'm not even gonna grace that with a response. It's not the time nor place.""

"It never is! W-well... then why don't..."

"Huh?"

"Why don't we just confess? The cat's outta the bag, why don't we just take this as a sort of sign?"

"Jimmy are you crazy!"

"No! YOU'RE crazy for not seeing this situation as a prime oppurtunity."

"To do WHAT!"

"To admit that we're inlove."

Hermione felt a shocking sort of queasiness set in her stomach. Clutching the wall for support, Hermione shut her eyes and prayed that the world would stop spinning. Maybe she was better off in ignorance.

"But...Jimmy...I..."

"C'mon, Harry. Haven't you been wanting to do this? To just tell everyone that we really are a couple?"

"But we're NOT! Thats the thing!"

"..but...what about..."

"Look, I love you, Jim. As much as one can love another person but...but..."

"But what?"

"But I can't do this anymore. I can't...I'll deal with the press, go back to work and just act like nothings changed."

"Jimmy, please. Don't look at me that way. Trust that this is best. You wouldn't be happy if anyone found out what we've been doing. You KNOW that. You'd lose your job and any chance at making the Arrows would be shot. I'd never be able to become an Auror. The Ministry's majority is conservative, and they barely approve of homosexual relationships amoung officials, let alone incestual. I'm already on their radar from that stupid article, and me not naming the guy who turned me only adds to their diapproval. Not to mention that we live right under the media microscope. So please. Just forget about this. PLEASE."

"What happened to your promise? You told me you'd do this for me as long as it made me happy. You PROMISED me!"

"Jimmy, you haven't been happy for awhile."

"Bullshit! You've made me happy!"

"Then why do you cry whenever we kiss? Why can't you get a decent night's sleep?"

"Because I see the way you stare at Ron and that stupid puppy of his, and never ONCE have you looked at me that way!"

" I...but..that's ridiculous!"

"No it's not! You're inlove with him, you bastard!"

"Just DROP it Jimmy! This has nothing to do with Ron and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that whatever was left of a normal life is over if anyone finds out for certain that we were together."

"...Ok Harry. Whatever you say. I'll do it."

"Good lad. Now you better get going, Fudge'll have your neck if you're late again."

"Alright...Cya at home then."

"Right."

"... Harry?"

"Yeah?"

Something about the silence made Hermione sick and somehow she was afraid they'd left her alone in the hall to deal with the horrible mental images her mind was coming up with. Peeking out she saw the back of Jimmy's robes covering something that didn't seem to be objecting. Much to her chagrin, Jimmy backed up solemnly quite a bit later and whispered, " Ron will NEVER win you as long as I live."

He hurried down the corridor, making her leap out of sight once more. Glancing over, she saw Harry emerge a few minutes later, his hair rumpled, lips swollen and eyes red with tears.

"God damn it, Jimmy..."

Hermione blinked and stood in the wake of the drama that just unfolded before her unwilling eyes.

OO

Well, it all made sense now, unfortunately. Why Jimmy always seemed so sad, why Harry didn't beg her to stay the night of his birthday, why Jimmy felt he couldn't take a chance with Malfoy, why Harry hadn't been romantically involved with anyone since Cienna...

They were inlove with eachother. Well. JIMMY was inlove, Harry just indulged it...maybe...

"Bloody hell." Hermione took a swig of her butterbeer and held the cool bottle to her forehead. Things just kept getting more and more complicated. Why couldn't they just have fallen for someone else who WASN'T their twin? See, this was exactly why she didn't want to get involved again. It was just like 6th year all over again...She could even still taste Harry on her lips... " WHY am I doing this to myself? WHY do I care?"

The bartender gave her a curious stare and shrugged, returning to wiping down his counter and ignoring the raving lunatic.

Going back to her drink, Hermione debated whether it was really worth it to meddle. If she was honest, her "vision" could really be the result of years of stress, not some precog she developed from Vol-...You-Know-Who.

Suddenly, a tingle of fear prickled up her spine. A crackle of energy resounded through the pub and Hermione felt a presence she hadn't sensed for over a year.

"Take him...tonight..."

"Do you not think it is too soon? Surely the boy hasn't seen the article yet?"

"Do asss I sssay...Take him...TONIGHT..."

"As you wish, my lord."

The bottle slowly slipped from her fingers as a scream echoed through her ears. The crash sounded so far away. It was a muffled sort of sound that Hermione only gave slight notice to. For the scream had reached such decibels Hermione had to clap her hands over her ears to try and drown out some of the severity of it. She couldn't stop it. It came, no matter how hard she tried to block it out...the locker room...the beat of the showerhead...happy voices...it all came. And the gaps were now filled in.

"Soon he'll get what he deserves for humiliating our Lord."

"We will be distinguished among Death-Eaters worldwide for this."

"Hurry, let us take him. His brother will surely follow the ransom note and fall right into our trap."

"Stupid fool. What a surprise for him when he comes to find his dear brother is DEAD."

Someone was shaking her and she didn't like it. Someone knew. Oh god, somehow someone knew she knew. No...No...NO..." NO!"

"Calm down, miss! Just calm down!"

Hermione opened her eyes and realized she'd somehow landed on the ground. Her hip hurt and her lip was bleeding. Looking up, she recognized the bartender helping her up.

"You alright?" He asked, his face a flurry of concern.

Hermione tested out her wobbly legs and sat down heavily onto a barstool,"W-what happened?"

"You had some sort of fit. You just went rigid and started screaming and thrashing about like someone was attacking you."

Hermione rubbed the sweat from her brow, frowning. "Attacking...me..."

"Yeah. You gave us all a good right scare. At any rate, should I floo for a doctor? You alright?"

"Floo...attack..." The words fell from her lips absently, for her mind was now racing with newly discovered items. The attack was planned by Death-Eaters, that much was certain. As a sort of redeeming act. But, did that mean You-Know-Who was still alive?... No..

No that was impossible. Everyone knew Harry pushed him into the Veil, then shattered the archway. But then why did she keep hearing his voice? Why have the Death-Eaters become so bold? It just didn't make any sense.

"Miss...miss, are you sure you're ok? I can get some Healers down here. "

Hermione blinked, barely realizing that the bartender was still standing there. "No. There's somewhere I have to be. I can't believe I'm not there already."

So she left the poor man to his bewilderment and set off at a dead sprint for the last place she expected to go ; Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

OO

"I have to see Ron. NOW."

Fred , or maybe it was George, looked up in surprise when Hermione burst through the door.

"Well, if it isn't ickle My-oh-knee. What brings you to this neck of the woods after all this time?" George (or Fred?) said in mocking tones.

"WHERE is he?" She demanded as she stalked towards them.

"Oy! Where did you want these canary cremes!" the shout came from the direction of the door behind the Weasley twin.

Hermione hurried past the counter and went right past him into the back room, ignoring the grunt of disapproval made by Fred (George?). For the amount of time that had passed without speaking to anyone from her old life, Hermione wasn't at all prepared for the shock that awaited her in the storage room. Yes, she assumed that Ron would have changed over the course of a year, but...

"Bugger me."

Ron banged the back of his head on the shelf he was crouched under and straightened up, furiously rubbing the injury. As he turned to face her, Hermione had to bite back a giggle. The look on his face was absolutely priceless.

"Urm..hi, Ron."

The redhead blinked, seeming as if he wasn't entirely sure where he was now. "I must've bumped my head harder than I thought..."

"You're not suffering from a concussion. I really am here."

Ron let his hand drop to his side and Hermione remembered all the adventures they'd gotten into and he made that same face.

"You sure grew into yourself, haven't you?" Hermione said with a weak laugh. Oh bloody hell, this was a bad idea. But how was she to know just how godly Ron turned out? His hair was long, falling into his eyes absently. His brown eyes seemed to be melted chocolate and caramel, forever swirrling with emotion. His build softened from the lankiness she knew into the sculpted body of a 20-something man. All in all, Hermione didn't know what to do with herself.

"What're you doing here, Hermione?" He asked in a low, gruff voice.

Ignoring the shiver that ran through her, Hermione decided the direct approach was best. Less time to stumble over her words and less time to drool. " Jimmy and Harry are in trouble."

Ron's reaction was most predictable and she felt instantly at home with him once more. "What? What're we doing here then! Let's go!"

Hermione was bodily dragged from the store, Ron yelling something at George (yeah, it was George!) as he grabbed his cloak. Even though it wasn't the time nor place for such nonsense, Hermione had to admit it felt incredibly good to be at Ron's side, his large warm hand grasping hers firmly as they hurried off to Harry's aide. Just like old times.

She had had no idea how badly she'd missed her best friend.

Ron stopped them infront of the Ministry, turning to her sharply. " Is this off the record?"

Hermione couldn't help but smile, " Unless we want to cause a riot in the wizarding world."

Ron furrowed his brow, "Oh, so its one of those, is it?"

She nodded and gripped his hand tighter. Of all people, she chose to come to Ron with this. Ron. All grown- up Ron. Tugging at him gently, Hermione ushered him inside quickly and made a beeline for the elevator.

Seeing as they were finally alone and out of earshot of any officials, Hermione decided it was time to explain things. So she told him everything. Well, leaving out the contents of the revealing conversation Harry and Jimmy had, but everything else she spilled. All the nightmares that turned out to be visions, her link to You-Know-Who, the fainting spell, and the locker room plot relating to the article.

"Bloody hell..."

"Yeah...I.. I didn't know what to do. It's not as if I can just waltz right up to Jimmy and tell him he's in danger. And Harry would never come within 50 miles of me."

Ron tilted his head sympathetically and patted her arm. "He still cares about you, Hermione."

"Have you heard him mention me anytime in the past year?"

Ron frowned, looking up to watch their progress to Fudge's offices. "Well, no, not exactly. But then again, I haven't really been around either."

It was Hermione's turn to frown. "What? Where have you been?"

Ron launched into his story about training abroad and the horrid fight just before he left and Hermione felt absolutely sure that when she finally spoke to Harry, she'd hex him good. How dare he be so heartless!

"Why that selfish wanker. How could he ignore you after inviting him on vacation and everything."

"Well..I mean, he had good reason." Ron said uncertainly.

"Ron, no matter what, he shouldn't have ignored you.You're his best friend. There's no e xcuse for that."

Ron looked downright depressed now and Hermione began to wonder if she'd stepped right into gay night at the pub.

"Let me guess, you're inlove with him."

Ron blinked and gaped at her in wonder. "H-how did you..?"

"It seems to be the trend lately. " At his blank look, she realized he PROBABLY didn't need to know that his true love was shagging his twin. " In any case, why didn't you just tell him? Harry's always been understanding, and besides that, according to that interview he gave, it's not as if he's adverse to the idea of snogging a boy."

"No, I know he's not adverse. It's just to ME-"

"Ron, I'm not sure i wanna know how you know this..."

"The stupid idiot never talked to me after we shagged and he's acted like we never did ANYTHING-"

"Ok, the mental images are astounding."

"But then he comes out of nowhere and snogs me into the tree and now he's all shy around me and for some reason, Jimmy's acting like I'm the bubonic plague so I'm led to believe Harry badmouthed me and I just don't know what to do!"

The brunette stared at her old friend and couldn't help but giggle. "How have you been surviving without me?"

Ron gave her a meak smile and shrugged, " Poorly, apparently."

The elevator dinged at their destination and the two quickly remembered why they were there.

"Ok, here's the plan, " Hermione began, holding the door open. " I'll stay here and keep a watch on Jimmy while you go find Harry and make sure he's safe. "

"Today's tuesday, so I'm pretty sure he'll be in the Auror department, working on his internship details."

"He's HERE? Well, thats awfully convienient."

"I'll take him over to Sirius', " Ron added on assuredly. "He'll be safest there."

"Oh. Sirius is awake?"

Ron sobered a bit, "Oh right, you weren't there...Yeah, he woke up and moved back home around a month ago."

Hermione nodded, not needing to be reminded that she'd missed alot of her friends' lives. "Right, well, good idea. Take Harry there as soon as possible. I'll get Jimmy there too."

"I'll gather up the Order and let them know whats up. And I think it's best if we don't tell Fudge just yet. You remember how he was last time."

Hermione gave him a pleased smile, "Ron, I do believe you've developed quite the brain."

The redhead scowled at her before heading off to his assignment, leaving her to the dubious task of SOMEHOW getting in Jimmy's good graces. But first things first. Hermione vented her frustrations on the fact that YES, indeed -every- hot guy was gay.

After that was out of her system, she scurried into the office to find it disappointingly empty. Deciding that Jimmy was bound to come back to his desk, Hermione settled herself in his chair.

Minutes turned into hours and the strain of the past week hit her hard so suddenly it sent her slumping in her seat. A strange sensation crept into the crevices of her mind and she felt an unusual tugging at her consciousness. What was happening? What was this?

Before she knew it, Hermione had fallen sound asleep.

OO

The sound started out as a low thrum but as it rapidly increased in pace, Hermione found herself slowly waking from her deep sleep. Sitting up with a jolt, she grabbed for the desk clock perched besides a large mound of memos.

Dear lord, it was 9:30! She'd slept for over an hour! Scrambling to her feet, Hermione did a quick account on her surroundings. Unfortunately, no sign that Jimmy ever came back from lunch was apparent. Hermione's stomach sank. As quickly as she could, Hermione bolted down the hallway, only to find that the elevator wasn't running. Apparently, the night car didn't run this far down. Probably to keep the Minister and other high ranking officials safe.

But that did her no good! What did she care if Fudge was safe during the evening from hassling reporters!

So like a flash, Hermione found the stairs and flew up them as fast she could without breaking her neck. This was NOT good! One, she never found her target, and two, it was night. Who knew if they'd taken Jimmy already! She could only hope that she'd make it back to Grimmauld Place to find the twins safe and sound. She trusted Ron to pick up on how strangely long it was taking her to get back.

She hoped she hoped she hoped she hoped !

A soft beating suddenly hit her ears as she went careening round a corner. Slamming into the guard rail, Hermione winced as she strained to hear what had caused her to hesitate.

It was raining heavily outside, but just underneath it was the distinct sound of a running shower. Her blood went cold

as her heart skipped a beat.

Taking the hall at a flat out sprint, Hermione closed the distance and burst through the doors to the men's locker room. Fortunately for her, the thunder from outside and the scuffling from up ahead blocked out the considerable noise she made in her entrance.

She scrambled onward and only barely managed to dive under a bench when she discovered she was far from alone.

Three shadowy figures struggled in the heavy steam of the showers. And then it was as if her hearing was suddenly turned back on from a long life of silence.

"Geroff! Geroff me! HELP!"

"No one can hear you, boy!"

"We made sure of that! Ha ha!"

"Help! Hel-!"

The two Death-Eaters slammed the boy against the wall and in the brief illumination of a lightning strike, Hermione saw the terrified face of a Potter.

"Mordum Totalus!"

The Potter slumped to the ground and the Death-Eaters were quick to wrap him in a cloak and levitate him.

"Soon he'll get what he deserves for humiliating our Lord."

"We will be distinguished among Death-Eaters worldwide for this."

"Hurry, let us take him. His brother will surely follow the ransom note and fall right into our trap."

"Stupid fool. What a surprise for him when he comes to find his dear brother is DEAD."

The two wizards strode past her hiding place in satisfied silence. But her attention was not on the evil kidnappers, but their victim.

If Hermione thought things couldn't get any worse, she thought wrong. Incredibly wrong.

For who was floating past her very eyes, his long wet hair dragging on the stone and pale skin glowing with moisture, but Harry Potter himself.

She didn't know if it was shock or stupidity, but Hermione couldn't breathe, let alone give chase. She just laid there for terribly long moments while two murderers kidnapped her best friend and made off with him into the night.

The stupor started to slowly fade and all Hermione knew was she HAD to hurry. She forgot why exactly, but her body was telling her something her mind wasn't quite following.

So she jumped to her feet and raced out the doors. She quickly noted with relief that the kidnappers forgot to dry Harry off first, and ended up leaving a trail of water in their wake.

Hermione hurried alongside the path, hoping she could catch up with them while still in the Ministry. But all too soon, she found herself in the lobby and the trail heading straight out the door. She was doomed if they made it far outside in the pouring rain. Her legs screaming and her lungs burning, Hermione raced through the double doors and flew down the stairs.

The storm was of tremendous power, gales so strong they threatened to overturn her. Bins of trash rattled down the empty street, all shops were boarded up and not a patron in sight. It seemed all too convienient. A horrific storm that caused Diagon Alley to vacate of witnesses, the lack of any people in the Ministry, her falling asleep, the tabloid.

Hermione put on another burst of speed as the realization hit her. They planned this. ALL of it.

They waited, gathering information on how to attack the Potters. Harry would never leave Jimmy alone for long. They were both incredibly powerful. So what was the best way to disarm two of the most powerful wizards in history without getting yourself killed? Why, put them at war with one another. Nothing's more effective at disarming a person than emotional turmoil.

And the tabloid did just that.

Harry wouldn't expect Jimmy home tonight, if he himself went home that is. Jimmy's mind would be scattered and slow, making him an easy target.

And the Ministry...They used a spell, they had to have. Hermione could tell now that it was a powerful version of the Dreamless Sleep draught put into spell form. She could feel the groggy after effects, and the time length seemed all too perfect. Long enough to ensure the Potter started his shower and lost himself in his thoughts.

God, why didn't she catch on sooner!

But what were they going to do once they discovered they didn't kidnap Jimmy, but infact Harry himself?

The possibilities caused Hermione to falter and slip on the slick pavement. Landing hard on her side, Hermione sat for a moment, letting the shock of the fall to wear off. Looking up, Hermione fought hard at the desperation clutching her heart. It was pointless! It was raining too hard she could barely see two feet infront of her. And the thunder was proving to be a better guise than any distraction the Death-Eaters could've come up with.

It was hopeless...She lost Harry and now there was no way to find him.

Burying her face in her hands, Hermione sobbed. The droplets fell on her bare neck like tiny razors, but she didn't care. She failed Harry. AGAIN. She served him on a silver platter to the Dark Lord once more. Why did she even try? She should've had Ron stay at the Ministry. She should've kidnapped Harry herself and kept him in her pocket for the rest of his life.

A chuckle escaped her throat and she was startled to find it pleasing. The chuckle steadily grew until she was consumed with hysterical fits of laughter. She knew she'd finally went bonkers. It was only a matter of time.

"Well, hey, if I'm crazy, I might as well do the most craziest thing ever; I should go find Harry."

As luck would have it, a barrage of trash bins came rolling down the alley up the street, red sparks trailing after them.

Hermione sprang to her feet and ran over to the mess. Skidding round the corner, she was in time to see two hulking figures disappear through a narrow doorway, one carrying something that looked exactly like an unconscious 19 year old.

Hermione scurried after them, seeing the doorway was infact a secret staircase and threw herself down the tiny steps. She followed them through what was quickly becoming darker and danker areas and Hermione realized they were heading right into the bowels of Knockturn Alley.

After a few minutes of panicked chase, they led her to a shady looking building called 'Candlesticks'. Opting for a more direct approach rather than chance losing Harry, Hermione slipped through the door and ducked behind the first thing she came across.

The building turned out to be an abandoned hotel, or atleast it LOOKED abandoned. Dusty, moldy couches littered the lobby. Coat racks barely stood up with the tremendous weight of one or two moth-eaten cloaks. Termites and rug mites had long ago eaten away the carpet and now only shabby patches of maroon accented the filthy wooden floor.

Luckily, the kidnappers hadn't noticed that they, again, left a wonderfully convinient trail of puddles in their wake.

Hermione carefully followed them up the creaky staircase, down the first long hallway and up to a locked door. But from the flickering candlelight seeping from the cracks in the door, she knew they were inside.

Ok, now that she knew where they took harry, she had a few options. 1) Go back and grab Ron and Jimmy and Lupin and Sirius and anyone else powerful to ambush the two Death-Eaters, 2) Send a letter to Ron to tell him where they are and hope he comes in time, 3) Ambush the Death-Eaters herself or 4) Sit in the dark hallway, shivering like mad with cold and fear.

Well, for the time being, she went with option four. She had no way of contacting Ron without leaving Harry, and leaving Harry was no longer an option.

So, number three it was. Hermione bit her lip and tip-toed her way closer to the door. She couldn't hear anything other than muffled voices. Nothing that sounded like Harry awake or Harry dying, however.

A loud creak from the staircase sent Hermione scurrying for cover behind a dilapitated dresser a few feet from the door.

Two figures emerged over the top stair and Hermione felt the last vestiges of warmth leave her body. Fear gripped her heart and she lost all hope of ever getting out of this alive. As the door opened, Hermione's worst fears were confirmed. One of the figures entered without a problem, muttering one command or another. His companion, however, stopped short of the doorway and turned a sharp look in her direction. Hermione slapped her hands over her mouth, sinking further back into the darkness, hoping to escape discovery.

The figure tipped back its head, seemingly sniffing the air. To her horror, it started to come towards her. Hermione scrambled backwards, her hands blindly groping the walls for a break of some sort. It was quickly realized that this thing was no Death-Eater, but something else entirely.

It made progress without a single sound, only the shallow, wheezing breath of something sucking MORE from the atmosphere than air.

Her fingers clutched the crumbling wall, her tremors shaking her more the worse. Her skin felt moist, her muscles weak.

She knew she never should've stepped foot outside her flat. She never should've gotten a job. She never should've let Viktor take her to that restaurant. She never should've left Harry's side after 5th year. Harry... Harry!

Hermione went tumbling backwards suddenly, landing in a pile of plaster and broken wood.

"Where are you going? Your meal's just inside here."

Hermione looked up in surprise to find herself in a tiny room, probably a walk in closet. She must've fell through the rotting wood when she pressed her body against it.

Her luck was never lacking, apparently.

"Come. Come in here and witness the feast we have prepared for you."

Hermione crawled over to the wall closest to her and leaned in close. The rain had seeped into the wood causing it to expand, leaving slits in the otherwise seamless wall. Pressing her eyes to one of the biggest, Hermione was alarmed at the sight that met her.

Two Death-Eaters in black robes stood next to a large, broken bed to which Harry was restrained, wrists and ankles. He was still unconscious and losing color fast.

The third figure turned out to be another Death-Eater, though his robes were remarkably dry. He stood tall, his manner strangely reminiscent of Lucius Malfoy.

And the fourth...why, Hermione felt downright stupid for not recognizing the agonizing depression and hopelessness. The fourth was a Dementor, probably the only one that escaped the Ministry's hunt and banishment.

Wait! A DEMENTOR! Oh god, the Death-Eaters were going to give Harry the Kiss! THAT was their plan! That was how they were going to kill the great and mighty Harry Potter! The only thing in the world that caused Harry to falter; A dementor.

Now Hermione wished she would've sent for help. Well, it was too late now. It was up to her to save Harry...With the terror racking her slight frame and uncertainity making her doubt, Hermione wondered how Harry ever did this. Did he feel this way every time he set out to save someone? Did SHE always feel this way?

"So how did it go?"

"Perfectly, master. The Traceless Sleep worked exactly as planned. All of the Ministry fell asleep within ten minutes of casting."

"And Potter. How did that fair?"

"Showering, exactly as you said. He went down without much of a fight. We have his wand here."

"Excellent. Break it before he dies, can't afford any mishaps. Did you deliver the ransom?"

"Owl's on its way."

"Most excellent. Now. Let us greet our guest of honor."

Hermione had to hold herself back as the leader poised his wand to Harry's forehead and a burst of light sent the boy into eratic spasms and painful screams.

None too soon, Harry was released from the spell and collapsed back onto the bed. He opened his eyes and was not at all surprised at who was there awaiting him.

"Welcome, Mr. Potter. I hope you do forgive our brutish behavior. It was necessary in order to properly subdue you. Though, looking at you, I can't imagine why we were so worried. You're barely more than a child."

"Why he looks barely a day older than 15."

"Malnourishment... My dear. Have we been trying to kill ourselves? How amusing. The great brother to the Savior of the Wizarding World, starving himself to death."

"What ... do you want with me?"

" Sweet venegance. You created the one spell that destroyed all of us. But apart from that, nothing. Its what we want with your brother that is of more importance."

"You want to kill ...Harry?"

Hermione bit her lip. So Harry was aware that they meant to take Jimmy. Good. If he played along, he might just stand a chance.

"No. Killing him would be merciful. After all the trouble he's caused us, Harry Potter deserves more than just death...To better explain, why don't I introduce you to my associate."

"Wha-... No...No! We destroyed you! We destroyed all of your kind!"

"Not all of them. This particular fellow I was entrusted with. He's been kept for one specific reason, and one reason only."

"And..whats that?"

"To suck the souls from every Potter alive."

"What..."

"Yes. And he's developed quite the craving for Potters. I suppose James had quite the delicious taste."

"James...M-my..."

"Thats right. We fed your father's soul to this dementor."

Hermione didn't know what to do. She was shaking so bad and so many revelations all in one day...No! She had to think! She had to get Harry out of there before they realized who they really had!

"Wha...no...No! NOOO! YOU BASTARDS! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"

"Restrain him."

A fatal punch to Harry's ribs rendered him hacking and gasping, but still he struggled against his restraints. "You better hope I never escape, for if I do, I will hunt you down like a dog and rip your heart out of your throat."

"My, but wasn't that colorful. Well, I tire of this. I'll leave you to your fate. Good day, Jimmy Potter." And with that, the man swept from the room and the two Death-Eaters remaining scurried to the opposite end of the room.

The dementor took a rattling breath, as if it had never been this excited before, and glided over to Harry's bedside.

Hermione knew it was now or never. She had dozens of spells at her fingertips, all she had to do was go with a few that would give her enough time to disarm the Death-Eaters, distract the dementor and get Harry out.

Sucking in a breath and standing up, Hermione hoped Crookshanks forgave her if she never came home.

"Why can't we have a little fun with him, first?"

"Because, master said the dementor must suck his soul before Harry Potter arrives."

"But...he's so pretty."

"Don't get any ideas. We have our orders."

"Bugger the orders. What have those Death-Eaters ever done for us?"

Wait...

"Vance, don't-"

"No! First they convince us that we will regain our stature and our land. Then they promise us all the fresh human blood we could ever need. Then the Dark Lord tells us we must sacrifice ourselves for the greater good, for the cause. Our numbers have all but disappeared from England thanks to his crusades. Well I'm done listening to them. The dementor can have him after I've finished."

"Vance, He will not approve."

"Then let him not approve. I care not..."

The man walked over and as he shed his robes, it dawned on Hermione why the two seemed so strange and capable of withstanding that brutal storm earlier. They were vampires.

Of course! All of the Death-Eaters HAD been found, but all wizard Death-Eaters. Vampires were unhuman, so they didn't come up on any of the scanning spells. Plus, they were easily erased if something went wrong. It made perfect sense.

The one vampire was leaning over Harry now, slowly pushing aside the cloak they'd wrapped him in. Harry was wrenching at his bonds, gritting his teeth and trying to scoot away as cool fingers traced down his chest.

"Stop it! Leave me alone!"

"Vance, you're a sick and twisted freak."

Vance smiled and licked the shell of Harry's ear, " But you love it, Vin."

"I never said I didn't."

"Keep the dementor away. I can't have him killing the boy before I've had my way with him."

"No!"

Vin cut his wrist with a knife he had handy and led the creature to the other side of the room with the painful allure.

"Don't touch me you fucking fag! Get your fingers off me before I cut them off!" Harry screamed.

"With what? Magic?" Vance chuckled darkly and leaned over to nibble on the brunette's neck. Before he got a chance, however, Harry spat right in his face. Vance smacked Harry hard, and scrambled onto his knees. " I was going to be gentle, but not anymore. We'll see how funny you are after I've ripped you from the inside out."

Harry struggled and squirmed and screamed as Vance tore the concealing cloak to pieces , then lifted the boy's legs over his shoulders. Reaching down to hastily shove down his trosuers, Vance licked his fangs. " You're going to wish you paid me better respect. I have half a mind to suck you dry after."

"Suck yourself, asshole." Harry growled.

"I like your fire. Ooh, here's what I'll do...I'll spare killing you, if you'll be my immortal sex slave. How does that sound?"

"Never!"

"How about this...I'll fuck your brother into bloody pieces, unless you become my sex slave. Sound better?"

Hermione had to do something! Harry was antagonizing the vampire and about to get raped! But what? Two vampires and a dementor against her? She wasn't good enough at the Patronus anymore and she knew nothing that would harm the undead.

"Go to hell bastard!"

"Wrong answer."

"AAAAHHHHH!"

"How does that feel? More?"

"STOP! STOP IT! GET OUT OF ME!"

"Shhh, the pain'll go away. When I finish, that is."

"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!"

"Vance, he's screaming like a banshee. Can't you keep him quiet? Stuff something in his mouth."

"What a good idea. I guess its your lucky day, Potter." Vance let Harry's legs drop and crawled up the boy's body to sit on his chest.

Hermione didn't need to see to know what he was making Harry do. Harry's muffled cries of disgust were enough.

"Ohhhh yesssss. Yeeesssss...Oooh, you're a good little cock sucker, aren't you? I guess those rumors were true."

"Mmmfffmmmhhmp!"

"Hurry it up, Vance. The dementor's noticing the boy more than the wound."

"Ohh yes. Ohhhh yeess...Yes...Yes. YES!"

Hermione could barely see through her tears, and her rage. Her trembling fingers gripped her wand tightly as she rose it to the wall. A burst of energy shot from the tip and soon she was standing in the middle of what was once the wall.

Knocking Vin out the window with flippendo, she threw her otter Patronus at the quickly approaching dementor. It flew from the room like a wisp of smoke, leaving the remaining man alone and defenseless. But Hermione didn't care. All she saw were the unmoving limbs beneath him.

Hermione grabbed the leg from a broken chair, leapt onto the bed and drove the wood straight through the vampire's heart. Vance blinked, then was gone in a flurry of flames and ash.

Assessing the situation, Hermione quickly unbound her friend, wrapped him in her robe and hauled him from the room as fast as she could manage.

Already, she could hear running footsteps closing in on their position at the end of the hallway. Hermione spotted a broken window and hurried them over to it. Picking up an old vase, Hermione shattered what was left of the glass and knocked out the frame. The way down wasn't too gruesome, but it wasn't going to be painless either.

She quickly looked over and grabbed Harry's arm, " Jump."

Harry didn't question and simply mounted the windowsill.

Chancing a glance behind them, Hermione saw the ring leader of this kidnapping stand in shock at the empty room. He either way down the hall and spotted them instantly, shouting orders at the four or so Death-Eaters/vampires behind him.

Hermione gripped Harry's hand and then they were free falling to earth. They hit a stack of wooden crates and garbage luckily, but wasted no time for feeling the pain.

Hermione led the way through the labrynith of alleyways and buildings, constantly checking behind her for any followers. Suddenly, she was yanked back behind a corner and slammed against the brick wall.

A moment later, three vampires ran past, fangs glistening in the lightning.

Hermione looked to her side to see Harry hugging the wall tightly, his eyes clamped closed and lips muttering something under his breath.

She checked to see that the vampires had left before turning to her friend. She was about to reach out to touch his shoulder when he jerked away, looking as if he'd just gotten slapped. Hermione frowned and was about to open her mouth to speak when a sign caught her eye.

"Oh god. Look, Harry! We made it back to Diagon Alley!" She drug the mute brunette back down the street, past all the dark windows and empty sidewalks, and into the Leaky Cauldron.

Before she had time to ponder why Harry hadn't spoken none word, they were flooing their way to the House of Black.

OO

It was pitch black when they emerged in the kitchen. Not even the sound of sleep made its way through the silent corridors.

"Where is everyone?" Hermione whispered.

"H-hermione...?"

The girl turned round to find her friend slowly crumbling to the ground. Hermione hurried over to his side, panicking. "Harry? Harry whats wrong?"

Harry threw himself at her, collapsing in a fit of sobs. She held him close and hated herself for forgetting the consequences of such an incident.

Harry was kidnapped, faced an impeding end by the Dementor's Kiss, almost raped then forced to do sexual acts against his will.

Leaning back, Hermione peered into the face of her old, dear friend.

The boy was pale, his midnight hair hanging in limp, soaked clumps. Red lined his hollow eyes and purple and angry red blotches marred his perfect skin. Already his cheek was beginning to swell. But what moved Hermione the most wasn't the bruises on his sleek neck that looked like fingertips or the cuts on his smooth chest. No, it was the dribble of white slidding with rain down his chin.

Hermione reached up and wiped the substance off with her sleeve then moved to hold him.

That was when footsteps sounded and Ron burst into the kitchen, looking frantic. Harry was on his feet instantly and Ron was there to catch him when he stumbled from a broken ankle.

Ron held the boy so tightly, so protectively, Hermione knew Harry was in good hands. For the past two years he'd been. Then Ron looked over with tears in his eyes and held his arm out for her, and she was includded in the moment, squashed safely between Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.

And so, just for tonight anyways, they slept in Ron's bed, all three of them, and they were the Golden Trio once more. Feeling their breath puff against her cheeks and neck, Hermione felt the darkness lose its grip..and it slowly slipped away into the night.


	14. I Made a Promise

Hullo Gentle Readers!

I'm back!

Modem's broke, yadda yadda. Send money to the Buy Emerin A New Modem Foundation. email for details   
jp. Anyways, I'm not gonna blather on cause I know you've all been waiting anxiously for me to get off my duff and update. SO here it is. I Made a Promise. And there's already a following for my superb Sirius :huggles Siri: He's so wonderful. He cooperated perfectly the entire time. YAY SIRIUS!

* * *

Johnny Cash Hurt +  
+' Beth Orton So Long +

Sirius Black had made a promise when he was younger, to James Potter. Through the death of his friend and 12 years of isolation, he fully intends to keep that promise. But when haunting memories start to run rampade through his mind, Sirius is at a loss for what to do. He's convinced he must fight against the wrong tendencies, even if it means denying an irresistable infatuation he has left over from all those years ago...and the object of his attraction isn't making it very easy.

- - - -

It started out as a pretty good morning, as far as mornings go. Sirius woke up, (which never lost its luster after being in a coma for over a year) and looked out the window. It was a remarkably clear day after the horrible storm last night. And it sounded like no one had woken up yet.

So, after relishing that he woke up and that it wassickeningly sunny outside, Sirius threw on some jeans and went to check on Ron, Remus and Jimmy.

Ron was an absolute terror yesterday. He wouldn't let Jimmy leave his sight for nothing, and Sirius knew the brunette was about to wail on him. And then Remus sat in the corner of the parlor all night long, biting his nails and looking for the world like someone shot his puppy.

Hermione never showed up with Harry.

If it hadn't been for his dreamless sleep draughts mixed in with their drinks, NO ONE would've gotten any sleep. Tired and worn out comrades are no good to a Boy-Who-Lived in peril.

Oh sure, he knew they'd all kill him today, but it would be with energy and enthusiasm. Besides, it had only been for 4 hours and he'd stayed up all night on patrol. If anyone was going to lose sleep cause of a missing Harry, it'd be him.

In any case, Sirius crept down the staircase to the third floor and Ron's room. It came as a shock that he found the door locked, but a quick Alohomora fixed that and he was inside in no time.

There on the bed, all squeezed together like sardines, were Ron, Harry and Hermione. He was relieved, yes, but the fact that Harry was wearing some of Ron's clothes and both Harry and Hermione looked as if they relived the Last Battle, made him more than a little concerned. It still felt good to see them all together, finally, in any case. RBW the Third scampered over to nip at his toes and Sirius cringed at the noise the puppy began to make as it got excited at all the movement Sirius' foot was making.

Harry whimpered in his sleep, his face twisted in unknown agony. Ron held him to him tighter and Hermione nuzzled closer against Harry's back.

"Its ok, mate. You're ok."

"Shhh, its all over, Harry. Just sleep."

Both friends petted their troubled comrade until he quieted down. Sirius slipped back out just as quietly as he entered, RBW the Third slipping out behind him, and made his way downstairs, the sight he'd just witnessed burned in his memory. He needed to think about this and address it carefully. Harry was extremely secretive and only told what he wanted to. Sirius had to ween the truth of what happened last night delicately.

He knew of only one person who could do 'delicate interrogation' and last time he checked, the person was in the parlour. Trekking down several hallways and ushering RBW into the kitchen to eat and poop, Sirius made it to the parlour and stepped inside.

Sure enough, Remus Lupin lay exactly where he left him, sprawled out elegantly across the couch.

Sirius smiled and crossed the room, then knelt down besides his best friend. With a soft chuckle, he closed Remus' mouth and pushed the man's soft tawny hair off of his delicate face. The poor guy had had a rough time of it. Sirius didn't think he saw the werewolf sleep properly since he heard of the abduction.

The blond stirred minutely and opened his striking amber eyes groggily.

Then Sirius was on his arse, looking up at an irritated Remus.

"Sirius, you sneaky double-crossing mutt! You slipped me something, didn't you! You ass!"

Sirius couldn't help but pout, " Why do you always blame me?"

"Cause its usually you anyways." Remus said matter-of-factly, slowly sitting up.

"True." The raven-haired man got to his feet and rubbed his injured bum. "If it makes you feel any better, I drugged_ everyone_."

Remus gasped and punched his friend on the arm. Really, the guy was violent sometimes!

"What!"

"Sirius, what if there had been an emergency! What if Harry had needed our help?"

"He would've been screwed because all of you ran yourselves ragged searching for him and Hermione all night."

Remus scrunched his mouth and crossed his arms, which was as good a concession as Sirius was going to get.

"It's ok, Moony. They came in last night...The three of them are up in Ron's room."

Remus looked surprised, " All three?"

"Yeah. " Sirius smiled. " I guess the Golden Trio can never die."

Remus smiled his own smile then gasped again, " Bloody hell, I better tell Jimmy. He'll want to see Harry right away."

"Er, I think you better hold up on that. Atleast until Harry's rested. I'm sure Ron and Hermione will bring him down when he's ready."

Remus frowned.

"Harry got hurt. " Sirius said point blank. " Nothing too serious, just bruises and the sort, but I could tell he's in a bad way. He needs some time to sort himself out before he has to deal with us and the Ministry."

Remus nodded and sighed heavily, then sank back into the couch. " How does that boy manage to get himself into so much trouble?"

Sirius plopped down besides Remus and wrapped an arm round the werewolf. Remus sighed and dropped his head onto Sirius' shoulder, letting the brunette tenderly smooth back his ash locks.

"It's not Harry's fault...we'll find out who's behind this and put an end to it once and for all."

"Oh please tell me I didn't interrupt anything."

Sirius rolled his eyes and looked over at the doorway where Severus Snape was standing, looking annoyed and disgusted. "Go be irritating somewhere else." Sirius snapped.

Remus chastened him by a cuff on the arm before he turned to Snape, " Harry and Hermione arrived sometime last night, but we're leaving them alone until Harry's recuperated."

"Ah. Well, I'll see to some potions Potter might need, in addition to the rest of you. I'm sure Black's potionwork is nothing short of shotty."

Sirius snarled, almost on his feet, " I'll have you know I passed Potions with an Outstanding. Just because I'm not greasy and unpleasant doesn't mean I'm not good at my potions."

" No, you're just incompetent at everything else seeing as you have no time to do anything except stare at yourself all day."

"You're just sore that I'm still attractive whereas _you_, well..."

" The only person that finds anything attractive about you Black is yourself and maybe that hippogriff of yours."

"Atleast someone finds me attractive. Most people are outright repulsed by you."

"OK children! Enough!" Remus slapped a hand over Sirius' mouth and dragged him bodily from the room. The hand didn't deter him, however. He still threw brilliant insults at Snivelus. Stupid Remus and his chivalry, what a waste of good repartee.

Sirius held up in the kitchen the rest of the morning explaining to everyone as they awoke that Harry and Hermione were indeed safe and sound in Ron's room. Of course no one was happy with him, but he didn't really care.

"It was highly irresponsible of you, Sirius. What would've happened if Harry needed our help last night? " Molly Weasley scolded from her spot infront of the stove. Honestly, wasn't that woman ever away from the kitchen? And didn't she ever STOP NAGGING?

"Yes, Molly, but who ever said I was responsible? " Sirius retorted, sipping absently at his coffee.

"It's not a joke, Sirius. This is Harry's life we're talking about here." Molly shot back, hands on wide hips.

"I'm trying to point out how absurd your paranoia is, " Sirius said, setting down his mug.

Molly scowled, " It is not paranoia, its simple caution and concern. Why you as his Godfather-"

"That's right. I'M his Godfather. Not you, not Remus, not even Snape over there. ME! I know my Godson and I know what I'm doing! So stop treating me like I'm one egg short of the cookoo's nest! I did what I did because I knew none of you would be able to help Harry in the conditions you were in! I was fully alert and ready to deal with whatever came along, all evening, so Harry was never in danger of having no one come to his rescue."

"Sirius-"

"No! I've had enough of this, Remus! I shouldn't have to explain myself all the time! I am not a child! I can perfectly well look after a nineteen year old!"

"But you've only just recovered-" Molly began.

Sirius stood up sharply, losing his temper rather quickly. " I'm perfectly fine!"

"In any case, you acted recklessly and selfish. I'm not sure its wise to leave ANYONE in your care, " Snape replied from the doorway, his tone as dismissive and heartless as always.

Sirius rounded on him, " I don't want to hear a WORD about being reckless or selfish. Wasn't it YOU who allowed Jimmy to escape yesterday after he got the ransom note?"

Snape blinked, his mouth gaping like a fish." How did you...?"

"I was on the landing. How do you think I caught him so fast? Honestly, if I had left you two to it, he would've been dead before they finished putting away the ink."

Snape puffed his cheeks in outrage before letting loose a string of unsavory curses, most dealing with the fact that Sirius needed to keep his large nose out of other people's Godson's business to which Sirius casually pointed out that Jimmy was Remus' Godson. The end result of the entire thing was Snape spitting hexes (luckily he wasn't holding his wand) and Sirius spitting insults. Remus looked like he needed a large asprin. Molly was turning purple. Tonks and Mad-Eye were wisely staying out of it. Dumbledore just looked amused.

"_Ahem_."

Sirius looked away from Snape's ugly mug to see Ron and Hermione standing in the doorway, both looking abashed and startled.

"Ron! Hermione! Where's Harry?" Sirius inquired, holstering his middle finger until he could berate Snivelus later.

"Um...here..."

Harry stepped out from behind his two friends, his eyes downcast. Sirius frowned, noticing the boy continuously shift his weight and wring his long sleeves in knots. Big clothes always managed to make him look eleven years old again.

"Come along, Harry. You're probably starving." Molly spoke up, turning round and flicking her wand about the stove top.

Sirius walked over and ushered Harry back out the door.

"Sirius! Where on Earth do you think you're taking that boy! He needs food in his belly!"

"I'll bring him something soon as you're done, " Sirius replied as he nudged Harry down the hallway. Ron and Hermione made to follow, but Sirius waved them back into the kitchen, shaking his head. They nodded, leaving the two men in the hall. Harry cast him a wary look, eyeing the kitchen door. Sirius grinned. "Don't worry. If we hurry, we can lock the door before she catches up."

Harry gave a meak smile and continued on through the corridor and up the stairs. Sirius rested his hand on Harry's shoulder, starting at the twitch that ran through the boy. Once they made it to Sirius' room, the man pushed his Godson up the staircase and locked the latch once he was inside.

Harry flopped himself onto the bed and decided that hugging Sirius' pillow was the best thing to do with his hands.

A sigh couldn't help but escape the older man's throat. " You know...frowning isn't good for someone my age. The wrinkles only get worse."

Harry let loose a little chuckle , "Sirius, thirty-eight isn't old and you DEFINTELY don't have much in the way of wrinkles." And then the darkness was back.

_Well that wouldn't do! _Sirius thought to himself. Walking over, he chose a spot besides Harry and stared at the boy intently. His bruises had quelled to purplish-red and seemed entirely focused on his cheeks and neck. All the cuts seemed to be closed up nicely and the swelling was minimal. But that wasn't what had Sirius so concerned.

It was the torment in the boy's eyes. The anguish. He hadn't seen that since Harry's fitth year.

Gingerly, Sirius placed his hand on Harry's arm, shocked once more that the boy winced.

"I know what happened last night will probably never be entirely known by anyone except you, and maybe you think thats for the best but..but I know from experience that dealing with things on your own may not be the best option in the long run. " Sirius leaned down, trying to catch Harry's eye. Once he did, he continued. " You know I care about you, Harry. And I'd do anything to help you out. And if I can't do that, tell me who to hex, and I'll do that instead."

Harry gave a muffled sort of laugh and lowered his head down. His shoulders shook and small little gasps slipped from his mouth, but he kept his head down.

Sirius wrapped an arm round his shoulder and pressed the boy into him. Harry clutched at his shirt, and Sirius did all he could not to cry along with his Godson. They stayed that way for most of the morning, ignoring knocks on the latchdoor and Mrs. Weasley's protests.

The silence of the room was a cherished gift. Harry relished it and Sirius was only too eager to give more. Of course, the silence gave way to exhaustion and both men fell asleep to the sounds of last night's rain tappering off into the morning air.

OO

Sirius grabbed the picnic basket from the tabletop and shoved his wand into his backpocket. Swiveling his head to and fro, he scanned the kitchen checking things off mentally.

Lunch: check. Butterbeer for Harry: check. Alcohol for me: check. Jacket: half on, but check. Map:... Map:...

"Shfit...Were's de mapf?"

Harry chose that moment to trot into the kitchen, shrugging on his jacket and giving him a quizzical look. "Whats the matter, Sirius?"

"I canned fine de mapf."

Harry quirked a brow and walked over with a small smile. Reaching up he plucked a folded piece of parchment from Sirius' mouth and showed it to him. " This it?"

Sirus blinked then took it with a grin. " Ah! I knew I had it somewhere. Well, thats it, I think. Lets go before Nurse Moony and Sergeant General Jimmy realize we're not still asleep and freak out."

Harry smiled and led the way to the front door. " Why are we sneaking out in broad daylight then?"

Sirius closed the door behind them and started walking down the sidewalk, glad it was pretty weather (for October) since last night was almost the second Great Flood."Its utterly disgusting to get up before noon on a Sunday."

"But it's Thursday."

"Exactly my point."

He knew Harry was looking at him, but he was much too busy trying to unfold the map than to try to explain himself.

"You're raving mad, you know that right?"

"Mmm huh...Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to read muggle maps, would you?" Turning the map in circes proved fruitless seeing as he didn't know what the hell any of the markings stood for. He'd been to London many a time as a teenager, and even scoured round Wales a bit, but he'd always Apparated. Which, of course, proved about as useful now as speaking english in Canada.

Harry sighed and nicked the map from Sirius' fingers and examined it while they waited for a crosslight to turn green. Sirius watched as all the muggle cars passed by, awed as always at the insane things muggle did to get by.

"Do you think you could loan me your car sometime?" He inquired, eyeing the drivers and their technique of holding the wheel with one hand and speaking into some muggle device with the other.

" Why? Don't tell me you want to drive somewhere."

"Well, it looks like fun. I've never tried it before."

"Hmm, well, I suppose...Just let me know so I can drive us out somewhere secluded and unpopulated." Sirius turned to the boy with a pout, ready to retort indignantly when Harry exclaimed and pointed at something on the map. "Aha! Here's downtown London...Ok...and there's us...Now, where do we need to get to?"

His ego forgotten, he quickly tried to remember the closest big town, " Coventry I believe. The village is on the very outskirts, more or less."

Harry quirked a brow and glanced at the brunette, " Why didn't we just Apparate to the village if you knew where it was?"

Sirius grimaced subtlely, " Its impossible to Apparate there anymore. The Ministry's deemed it a restricted Apparation zone."

Harry frowned, stopping short, " But, restricted sections are only permitted when an area's been contaminated-"

"By powerful evil forces. I know."

"Then why...?"

Sirius sighed. The look on the boy's face spoke volumes.

"Sirius...where are we going?"

With one last sigh, Sirius stepped inside the abadoned delictassen, saying with a solemn voice. " Godric's Hollow."

OO

Sirius was the first to spot the village through the trees. It looked just as small and quaint as ever. A sick sort of tremor ran through his stomach as they drew closer, and from the look on Harry's face, he was feeling the same way.

Godric's Hollow was more or less exactly how it was the night Sirius drove through it on his motorcycle. The single avenue that ran the entire length of downtown was still narrow, the shops were still small, and the bakery boasting the best treacle tart was still standing besides the bookshop.

Harry was walking as if he were a condemned man, slowly making his way to his doom. And sooner than he would've liked, they were standing before a vacant lot.

Harry sucked in his breath and Sirius merely watched as the boy stared with something close to dawning horror at the large pile of what used to be a quaint little house. It didn't take much to feel all the demonic binds leftover from the spell that ultimately took this house.

Before he knew what was happening, Harry had dashed the opposite way, leaving Sirius in confusion.Quickly, the man gave chase, catching up to the youth at the edge of town. Grabbing his arm, Sirius hauled them to a stop and stared as Harry panted and gazed with unseeing eyes at the ground.

He didn't need to ask to know what had happened. It happened to him as well the first time he'd seen the place back when he was on the run. The lines of the tiny white house were still fresh in his mind, and to see them torn down and lying in haphazard pieces made that last bit of hope die.

Sirius looped his arm round the boy's heaving shoulders and led him away." C'mon, there's some place I want you to see."

Harry walked alongside the man, tucked closely into his one-armed embrace. Sirius never knew the boy to be so physically affectionate, but then again, after growing up the way he did, Sirius shouldn't have been surprised. Those Dursleys...It was hard to feel bad that they were dead. In Sirius' opinion, they deserved what they got, even if it _was_ gruesome. He hugged Harry closer, trying to make up for those years spent isolated in a tiny bedroom.

He soon came to a stop at the top of a small hill overlooking a grassy null. Sirius led them down to the base of the hill where a weeping willow watched over a smooth black boulder. And there he stood, with Harry curled into his side, watching as the shadows of the tree's branches made beautiful designs on the stone's glassy surface.

Harry sank down onto a well worn patch of grass, his trembling fingers reaching out to trace the words on the boulder's surface.

"Here Lies Lily and James Potter; Love. Courage. Selflessness. They will live forever in our hearts." Harry mumbled, his emerald eyes shining in the afternoon sun.

Sirius knelt down besides him, his eyes shifting from the grave to his Godson's face." I thought a visit from the both of us would make them happy."

Harry said nothing for several long minutes, simply tracing the words he'd spoken earlier over and over and over, as if trying to draw some sort of knowledge from them. Sirius watched quietly, his own mind trickling memories of previous visits back. He'd always come alone. Always. For the things he had to say were not meant for anyone but he and James.

Closing his eyes, Sirius let himself remember.

The gentle swishing of the branches above his head, the cool grass beneath his fingertips, a tender breeze carressing his neck and hair like a dear lover. It all brought him back to that one day so many years ago. Such beautiful weather contradicting the words spoken, the solemn vow made. He'd fought with his life to keep it, to make sure he kept his word, and there were lonely rainy days that he'd find himself at the boulder, sobbing his apologies. He never felt as if he really made good the promise since it was so difficult to do it properly without his emotions getting in the way.

A hand appeared on his arm making him gasp and pop his eyes open. Harry was staring at him with concern, his thumb idly rubbing back and forth across the fabric of Sirius' sleeve.

"Siri?"

Sirius smiled sadly at the endearment, feeling as if Harry bothered to take a deeper look into his eyes, he'd see the ugly truth about his Godfather.

"You ok?"

Sirius nodded and absently wiped his stray tear from his jaw. Once again, his eyes swept down to the grave. " It wasn't until I'd been put away that the Order gave them a headstone. It was in the Prophet, so I knew about it. The words...they were true, so I never complained...But it was when I came here for the first time after I'd escaped that I put in the last sentence."

Harry followed his gaze, a ghost of a smile on his lips. " Its nice. I'm sure they appreciate it."

They sat in comfortable silence, each man lost in his own thoughts. How many times would Sirius recall that day and drive himself mad over it? When would he finally feel he'd fulfilled-

"Sirius..."

The man blinked from his reverie and watched his Godson shift closer, green eyes glued to the stone.

"Last night I...I was told something..."

Sirius waited as the boy composed himself, glints of terror and panic flashing across far too young eyes.

"They said my father...he...he was given the Dementor's Kiss."

Sirius bite his lip, his canines sinking into the soft flesh.

"Tell me the truth...What happened to my dad?"

Sirius looked down at his hands. This moment was bound to happen. Harry was smart, he'd eventually piece together the missing holes of history's story. Taking a shaky breath, Sirius forced himself to remember the horrible incident. How he died inside that night. "Your father fought, just like everyone has been telling you he did...He fought tooth and nail for you and your mum...But...Voldemort caught him off guard with a Leg Lockers curse..." Taking a pause to better steady his voice, Sirius shifted to look at the cool ebony of James' grave. " That monster called for a dementor we'd heard rumors about. It was the sole creature that took most of the Potter line...and that night...it took your dad as well..."

Harry's nails dug into the man's arm, a soft whimper escaping his throat. "G-go on."

"When I came, it was too late...I just had enough time to get you out of there before the house collapsed ontop of itself...but after seeing you off with Hagrid, I did my best to tackle through the remains to find your parents...I only just found him when I realized who had been behind it all and what that meant..."

"So you saw him...?"

Sirius felt a burning sensation at the back of his eyes, " Yes...And I still have nightmares about it."

"...I tried so hard, so many times, to convince myself that they died quickly, that it was painless..."

Sirius looped his arms round the boy, "We'll find that dementor, Harry. We'll find it and kill it and then all the Potters' souls can be released and rest in peace."

They both broke down in silent sobs at the magnitude of the truth. But it felt good...To finally have someone with him who shared the pain and the reality of the situation...Someone who wasn't Remus.

It was an hour later that they managed to calm themselves and settle down to eat the picnic Sirius had prepared. Harry nibbled on a chicken sandwich, his red-lined jade eyes watching the man intently.

Soon it became too much and Sirius snapped beneath the gaze. "What?"

Harry blinked, seemingly unaware of his own stare. "Sorry...I just...You cared for my dad alot, didn't you?"

Sirius blushed despite his best efforts and took a soothing gulp of his Heinekein. "Course I did. Both me and Remus did."

Harry didn't seem to find this answer satisfying, but he held his tongue and continued to eat his sandwich.

_Boy was that close_, Sirius thought to himself. He knew there was more to that question than Harry let on and he only hoped he'd be more suave about it in the future. The last person he wanted to know about his well-hidden past was Harry. Dear Merlin, ESPECIALLY not Harry.

"Thank you."

Sirius blinked. "For what?"

Harry shifted, his eyes hidden beneath black fringe. "For telling me the truth."

The man gaze a heavy sigh, tossing his half-eaten sandwich into the picnic basket. "I meant to tell you earlier, but I guess I was never ready to admit it, even to myself."

Harry's eyes were again on him and Sirius was starting to wonder if his masks were faltering miserably." If you tell me whats really going on with you, I'll tell you what happened last night."

Again, Sirius found himself blinking in the wake of his godson's keen sense. It was eeriely similiar to his father's, which proved to only further disturb Sirius. "W-what? What're you going on about Harry?"

"Usually I can hear this sort of darkness behind your words, like your secrets all condensed into something tangible that hangs onto everything you say. But its small and your cheerfulness blocks it out for the most part. But lately...It seems like your darkness and your secrets are taking over you."

Sirius was at a loss. What could he say to that? He'd promised himself long ago that he'd NEVER lie to Harry, if he could help it. Lying and simply avoiding answering questions were two different matters. And now that Harry had more or less hit the nail on the head, Sirius could'n't very well flat out lie. This was Harry. The boy was as sharp as Lily and as stubborn as James. Good grief, what had he gotten himself into?

"Harry...I..."

"Tell me."

The brunette scratched his head, searching for words. Honestly. What was wrong with him? "Truthfully, Harry, I...I don't really know." The boy looked at him skeptically. "I mean it. Gryffindor's honor."

Harry's lips scrunched as he seemed to be debating this answer.

Sirius gave another sigh, knowing he shouldn't have expected an easy way out of this. "Ok fine, maybe I have some clue-"

"Does it have to do with last night? With me?"

Grey eyes swept to meet with green and Sirius wanted to cry at the expression scrawled across Harry's young face." No. Harry. NO. Its not your fault... I'm your Godfather, its in the job description that I worry.Anything that happens to you naturally affects me, but its ok. I WANT to be affected by you. I promised."

Harry tilted his head ever so slightly and Sirius wanted to kick himself. "You promised?"

Sirius grimaced and forced out a smile. "Er, yeah."

"To who?"

_GRR! Sirius, you moron! _" Your father."

"About what?"

"Uh, yanno, Godfather business..." Sirius saw that Harry's face was starting to twist back into skepticism, so he ruffled the boy's hair affectionately and grinned."Just that I'd look out for you."

Harry smiled lopsidedly, a faint blush on his cheeks. Before either of them could enjoy the comfortable silence, words spilled from hesitant lips.

"T-they were Death-Eaters. Vampire Death-Eaters."

"What?" Grey eyes narrowed as Sirius tensed at the word ' vampire.'

"Last night. Two vampire Death-Eaters ambushed me in the Ministry showers...I don't know how they managed to get in undetected, but they did. I ..I don't remember much. They hit me with some sort of spell..I woke up in a dark, decrepate room...Another man came in...He told me-"

Sirius steeled himself against shaking the boy to continue, seeing as this already was trying the boy's already fraying sanity.

"He told me it was all payback for defeating Voldemort...He thought I was Jimmy..."

Sirius leaned forward, stashing every bit of information away for future retelling to the Order."Why did he think that?"

Harry shrugged, his head hung low."We look the same. I'm assuming they thought Jimmy, being the Minister's assisstant, would always hang late at the Ministry. In any case, their plan was meant for Jimmy. They'd kidnap him, send the ransom note to me then kill him before I inevitably came to his rescue, then off me as well."

Hmm, well that explained why the letter didn't make sense to Jimmy. It was meant for Harry. "Did they figure out you weren't your brother?"

"No. I'm sure I probably wouldn't be here right now if they did."

A shiver ran up Sirius' spine at the nonchalant manner in which Harry spoke of his own luck. Was this what Harry had turned into? Was this what the war made him become?

"I..I thought this was over..I thought once I killed Voldemort, everything would go back to normal. I could live a regular life."

Sirius watched as green eyes shimmered, peach lips quivered and calloused hands clenched.

" I was supposed to get my life back! I hate looking over my shoulder, wondering who's going to be trying to Avada it next! I hate feeling like I can never get close to anyone because they might be kidnapped and hurt! I hate remembering what those cold hands felt like on my skin and flinching every time someone I care about touches me! I hate this!"

Sirius' fingers moved of their own accord as they gently squeezed Harry's heaving shoulder.

"Its not fair Sirius! ITS NOT FAIR!"

Sirius gave a shaky sigh that he felt in his soul as his beloved Godson crumpled into his embrace for the third time that day.

OO

Late evening found the two men trudging back into Black Manor, tired but satisfied after a long day of talking. The nice silence between them wouldn't be longlasting, however, since the moment they stepped foot into the foyer, Harry was acosted by his brother.

"Where were you! You had me worried sick! I should kill you!"

Sirius blinked and slithered along the wall. It was best to stay out of the beast's line of sight in order to ensure survival.

"Er, I-I'm sorry, but I'm alright. See? Just fine."

"Hmm. Well, you DO look much better than earlier. But next time you get kidnapped and decide to disappear the next morning, tell me in advance so I can get some shotguns ready for your return."

"Uh...O-ok..."

"Well, c'mon then. Since your absence took up most of my attention, I forgot to eat. So, you're gonna make me lunch."

"Alright, fair enough."

Sirius scurried down the hallway before the boys could stumble upon him and hastily ducked out the backdoor. Collasping onto a wicker chair, he released a relieved sigh. He could only imagine what sort of hell Jimmy would've unleashed on him. Luckily, Harry didn't mention anything about his involvement. God bless the lad.

"So where'd you take him?"

Sirius jumped and all but toppled out of his chair, looking up to see Remus standing above him, arms crossed and stern look on his face. " Ah! Moony! You're looking smashing. Did I mention that color makes your eyes pretty?"

"Where did you take him, Sirius?" Remus asked again, his toe tapping. Damn he could be worse than Molly sometimes.

But sighing resignedly, Sirius sunk down in his chair and stared at his boots. " Godric's Hollow."

A soft thud came from his side. Chancing a glance up, he saw the werewold had depositied himself in the other wicker chair and looked much more solemn. "Why there?"

Good question. "I guess I figured after what happened to him last night, a nice quiet place away from everyone would be exactly what he needed, if only for an afternoon... I know it was selfish and irresponsible, but I went with my instincts anyways."

Remus smiled warmly at him and sat back. " Did it work?"

"Well, " Sirius rolled it over in his mind, discerning from the conversation he'd had with Harry whether the boy was better or not. " I suppose it did in some way. He opened up alot to me and told me what happened last night."

Remus frowned, his tawny locks brushing against his face. " So what happened?"

He grimaced, dreading this part. Harry knew he was obligated to tell the Order what exactly happened but it still made Sirius feel as if he was dishonoring his Godson's trust. "It was Death-Eaters, just like we thought. But vampire Death-Eaters."

"What?"

"Exactly. Apparently, they attacked Harry in the Ministry showers and whisked him off to Knockturn Alley."

"Merlin..."

Sirius shook his head and looked up at Remus' ashen face. "I know there's more to this than just an abduction, that ransom was proof enough. Vampires aren't capable of the sort of magic it would take to enter the Ministry without detection, then slipping right out of there...No, there's defintely somebody damn powerful behind this all."

"But why...?" Remus rubbed his chin, deep in thought. " Arthur came to us earlier today with the reports from the Ministry. Up to 14 Ministry Officials so far have claimed that they have a block of memory missing around the same time Harry was abducted. We're looking at a mass Obliviate. No one short of Dumbledore can do something like that."

Sirius frowned. "Or You-Know-Who."

The blonde leaned forward anxiously, " You think he's involved in this?"

"Its far-fetched, I know, but I wouldn't rule it out."

"He's dead though, Sirius."

"I know...I know."

The brunette clutched his hands tighter, his eyes staring unseeingly at the garden walls. This was drawing up some pretty bad memories for him. Memories of a silver place where only nothingness kept him company. It was something he'd much rather forget.

"It just doesn't make sense...Why kidnap Harry to get to Jimmy?"

"Harry told me they meant to grab Jimmy instead."

"Jimmy was the target!"

"Yeah...but don't ask me why, not even Harry could figure that one out. My only guess was someone wants Jimmy gone and decided to take out Harry as well, make a clean job of it." His answer didn't bode well with the other man. His face had grown paler and he looked as if he were going to be sick. "They're both fine, Moony. Safe and sound in the kitchen."

Remus shook his head, hanging it down to hide behind his hair. "I-I know."

Sirius studied his friend for awhile, wondering what to say. He wasn't good at consoling. He was more a man of action. Sure, he comforted Harry, but that was different. Harry only ever asked for a shoulder to cry on. Remus...Remus was something else.

"You're so good with Harry. You protect him so well."

He blinked. "What?"

Remus looked up, a sad smile on his lips. " You and Harry, I watch you... You always make him laugh and you understand him. Like today. I never would've thought to have taken him to Godric's Hollow. I would've just fussed over him and demand he get lots of bedrest. But you know what he needs without even trying...I wonder why James just didn't make you Jimmy's Godfather as well. You could've handled both of them just fine."

Sirius shifted uncomfortably, not sure where Remus was going with this. The guy was maternal to a fault. So HIM? A better parent? "Remus, you don't give yourself enough credit. Jimmy loves you."

"Yes, but when I should've stayed in America with him, I didn't. I ran from him, just like I did everyone else."

The raven-haired man bit his lip, sensing the danger from a mile away. Sensitive waters were NEVER his speciality. " Maybe we should go inside. I'm sure the boys need help-"

"He shouldn't have entrusted me to Jimmy's care! What was he thinking!"

Sirius grimaced, his fingers curling round the chair's armrests. Just keep quiet, Black. Keep quiet.

"Whenever I look at Jimmy, all I see is _him_. Even in Harry. Its as if he's looking out through their eyes, watching me and judging me...Its more than I can stand."

" I'm sure thats not-"

" I can't help but feel as if he did it as one last rebellion, one last spiteful act to drive the knife deeper in my heart."

"Remus, he-"

"I look at Jimmy and Harry and its this great struggle within myself not to feel bitter towards them; The end result of James' ultimate decision."

Sirius looked down, splinters from the chair digging into his palms from the tight grip. It was hard to stop him, cause somewhere deep down inside, Sirius knew he was right. It WAS hard to look at Harry and not feel sad...but not in the same way. It was completely different for Sirius.

"I remember how much you played with them when they were babies. They adored you. You'd chase them round the backyard until you all collapsed from exhaustion, then fall asleep in the living room. You'd change into your dog form and they'd curl up into you and James would always laugh."

Hot stinging crept into Sirius' grey eyes as those memories came back for him as well. But after they woke up, there would be Remus with a warm cup of cocoa and a fascinating story. The twins LOVED Remus' stories, just like James did.

"He chose that life over me..."

A tear escaped Sirius' eye and long years of silence were instantly drowned out by the deafening sound of his own pain. " You fool."

Remus blinked, looking very much as if he'd just been slapped.

"He was your mate, Remus! Whether he chose you in the end or not, he loved you. If you only knew all the harrassment he was getting from his family at home, you'd never assume he never cared for you. He was almost disowned cause of you! "

The man made a choked sound in the back of his throat, but Sirius couldn't stop himself.

"But eventually he cracked. He wanted a family, he'd always wanted one and the truth was you couldn't exactly make babies. So, he found Lily and they made a family inspite of the dangers of the war...but he still loved you. Through the war and the death and Lily and the twins, he still loved you. It was YOU, Remus. It was _always_ YOU. Why do you think he made me promise-" Sirius barely caught himself in time.

That was terrifying. After close to twenty years, he was about to let loose one of his most guarded secrets.

"Made you promise what?"

Sirius growled and pushed himself to his feet. " I'm gonna go check on the boys. They probably burned down the kitchen by now." And with that, he strode into the house before the werewolf could utter another word.

The conversation left a bitter taste on Sirius' tongue. He'd almost lost control there and he couldn't afford that.

The harsh reminder of Remus and James' relationship for most of their Hogwarts career wasn't pleasant. He couldn't begin to count the number of times he'd had to endure Peter's company cause those two ran off to some broom closet or another. And the times he'd had to play Marriage Counselor when all he'd wanted to do was laugh in their faces...Sirius shook his head and turned down the hallway to the kitchen.

Some of what Remus said was wrong...Sirius never looked at Harry and felt bitter. Harry and Jimmy were never a curse for him. James didn't give them custody of the lads for some cruel form of payback. They were a gift. Harry was a wonderful young man and so was Jimmy. Sirius didn't care that they came from the union of James and Lily, all that mattered were these two great boys and making sure they grew up the best way possible.

Sure, he was a little bitter, but what did that matter when he and Harry would chase eachother round in their Animagus forms or when they endured one of Molly's lectures because they left dishes in the garden or when Harry would just sneak into Sirius' room for no good reason other than to enjoy his company?

He swung the door to the kitchen forward, walking in on quite the tussle. Harry and Jimmy were struggling over control of a brown-goop covered spatula, shouting at eachother.

"Chocolate chip!"

"No, butterscotch! No one likes chocolate chips in their cookies anymore!"

"EVERYONE likes chocolate chips in their cookies!"

"'Cept me!"

"Well you're bloody nutters so you don't count!"

Sirius was about to smirk when a blob of batter came shooting towards him and splattered across his face. The boys stood in shock as they watched in horror the blank look spreading across Sirius' face.

He darted his tongue out, scooping up a bit of batter and hmm'd. Just as it looked as if they were both about to duck for cover, Sirius nodded in a final sort of way.

"Harry's right, chocolate chip is MUCH better."

OO

A shower and about two dozen cookies later, Sirius was lounging in the living room, nursing a full belly and watching Jimmy and Ron play wizard's chess. RBW the Third lay sprawled out on his back beneath the coffee table the chess game was being played on and occasionally kicked his leg each time Ron let out a whoop of victory. It sometimes made him feel warm inside to know that all the boys would rather be at Black Manor than at their own homes. Merlin knew that was never the case when HE was a teenager.

But Ron loved the manor, even if he had to put up with Snivellus more than anyone should have to. And Jimmy seemed to enjoy spending time here as well, constantly gabbering with Remus or doing exactly what he was doing now while his brother was at the Academy.

As for Harry...the lad adored the gardens and always hid himself away there when he needed, even if it was during school hours. That was fine by Sirius, he didn't care much for gardening but if it helped Harry keep his sanity, he'd prune those buggers with a happy smile on his face.

Speak of the devil, Harry walked into the room, his hair damp from his shower. His cheeks seemed a bit more flushed than usual as he made his way over to Sirius' spot on the couch.

Sirius titled his head curiously as Harry shifted from foot to foot, throwing wary looks in the direction of his brother and Ron.

"Problem, Harry?"

"Erm..."

Sirius smiled and folded his arms, patiently waiting the boy's speech to return.

"C-can I talk to you?"

Ah, there it was. "Alright. What do you want to talk about?"

Harry looked down right panicked as he again looked over his shoulder at the pair. "Not here." he hissed and tugged at Sirius' sweater sleeve.

The man obliged and let himself be led from the room, and into the first available talking space.

Sirius blinked and stared frankly at the boy. "Harry. This is the utility closet."

Harry looked around them, as if barely noticing. "Oh."

Sirius sighed fondly and frog-marched Harry into the hallway and into the library. After starting a roaring fire and settling into the lumpy cushions of the couch, Sirius turned his attentions to the fidgety boy next to him. "Out with it, then."

Harry wrung his hands nervously, his lips moving as if they didn't remember how to form words. "W-well..I..er...I need advice."

He nodded, leaning back comfortably and tucking one of his legs beneath his bum. "Ok, shoot."

"It doesn't seem the best time to ask, what with what happened last night, but well, when you think about it, what better time to ponder, you know?"

"Harry, you're stalling."

"Right right...Sorry...What I'm trying to say is, well, I tried NOT to think about it all but then I was kidnapped by those Death-Eaters and it sort of knocked something inside me and I couldn't help but think about EVERYTHING." Harry chewed on his lip for a bit and twisted knots into the hem of his t-shirt. Sirius smiled. " See...I...I think I have these feelings for someone...someone who I probably have no right having feelings for."

Grey eyes lite up as a goofy grin spread across his mouth. " My ickle Harrykins inwub! How darling!"

Harry scowled, batting Sirius' hand away from his cheeks."Its not funny.I'm in trouble, Siri."

The man coughed and calmed himself down, preparing for advice in one of his best subjects. "Well, how does this person feel back?"

Harry sighed with exasperation, " Thats the thing. I think I know, but I'm too scared to find out for sure."

"Why?"

"Cause..." At this, Harry glanced at the door and grimaced. "Cause of this other person."

Sirius couldn't help the squeal that escaped him. Oh sure! Like you wouldn't have done the same thing! Sirius loved to live vicariously through Harry. It was one of his hobbies. " You tramp."

Harry looked pained. "Sirius, be serious!"

A snigger passed his lips and Harry looked as if he were seconds from hauling back and wailing on him. "Ok ok! Sorry. I'm done. Go on. Whats this other person got to do with the first?"

The boy sighed, and swung around to sit indian style infront of his Godfather. "Nothing, per say. Well, they SHOULDN'T in any case, but I think they're affecting my feelings towards the other."

"How so?"

"One minute I'm hanging out with the first and things are great and my mind starts to wander back to this..er..._time _we spent together " --here Sirius snickered, but Harry bodily ignored him--" then the other comes in and totally confuses me."

"Ok, well, why do they confuse you?"

Harry dove his hand into his damp locks and gripped. "Because! I'm not supposed to be feeling this way!"

"Says who?"

"Says ME. " Harry looked down, looking defeated. "Despite the second's best efforts, I just don't feel that way towards them. I don't know how it started but it scares me more and more the farther we get. Its, well, to put it quite frankly, all physical...I love them, but not in _that_ way."

"Then tell them."

"I tried!"

"Then try harder. Harry, stringing along someone's emotions isn't right. You know better than that."

Harry nodded, chastened.

"Now, what about this other person?"

The boy sighed, "I..I just don't know. I've known him since forever and I'm terrified of moving someplace we can't ever go back from. I just don't want to lose someone else in my life."

Sirius smirked softly, his suspicions confirmed. He was too astute for his own good. "Nothings wrong with being scared, Harry. Your heart is a precious thing, and making sure you can give it to the right person and know it'll be taken care of, isn't a bad thing."

"I know...I just feel as if I'm losing him, bit by bit, each day I don't talk to him about it. I just don't know what to do."

Sirius licked his lips, looking at his Godson with a sigh. Placing his hands atop Harry's, he caught the boy's eyes and squeezed. "I'm gonna give you the best advice I've ever been given ;' When your courage is lacking, when your heart's at a loss, when you've lost your mind, and all else fails, _just do it_. Don't be scared of falling inlove. Its one of the greatest experiences in the world.' "

Harry smiled gratefully. "Thats some great advice. Who'd you get it from?"

Sirius returned the smile, " Your dad."

Green eye's lite up, "Really? My dad?"

"Yep. Pretty clever, that git was."

"Why were you asking for advice?"

Sirius considered the boy, before smiling fondly. "Same as you. Loved someone I was scared to."

"And did you 'just do it' ?"

Sirius smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "This isn't about me. Its about you. So, think you know what to do now?"

Harry chuckled and shifted around to wrap his arms round his Godfather's neck. "More than before, atleast. Thank you, Siri."

The man gently patted the lad's back and smiled." Anytime, kid. Now go get some rest. You've had a long day."

Harry smiled and nodded, giving him one last hug before scampering off to his room. Sirius stretched out on the couch, going over in his mind what he'd just heard.

So. Harry was inlove, eh? And with a boy. Well, that shouldn't have surprised him, not from that provocative Wicked Witch Weekly's article. Wait...now that he thought about it...those anonymous photos to the Daily Prophet came in the day Harry was kidnapped...Shit. Did that mean-

"Sirius?"

The brunette was jerked from his train of thought and looked away from the fire to see Remus outlined in the doorway.

"May I join you?"

"Sure."

Remus walked in hesitantly and paused by the other end of Sirius' couch, handing him a cup of tea." Was I interrupting anything? I saw Harry leave and you looked about amile into your thoughts."

Sirius blinked again then shook his head, taking a cautionary sip of the hot beverage. " Oh. No. No. Just giving him some advice on sex then thinking about something."

Remus scowled at him reprovingly, like he knew he would. "Sirius, you did NOT give that nineteen year old sex advice. He's far too young for that sort of thing."

The raven-haired man snorted. "Have you SEEN Wicked Witch Weekly?"

The blush on the tawny-haired man was priceless. " I have, if you must know, and I thought every picture was revolting."

Sirius pouted, the corners of his lips giving away his smile. "Aww, I thought they looked quite fetching."

Remus scowled more profusely. "They're children, Sirius! I have half a mind to punish them for doing such a thing. I would've thought they had more modesty."

Sirius grinned behind his teacup and sighed for the adorable naivety of his best friend. "They're built like greek gods. Hell, if I had a body like that at their age, I'd be showing it off, too."

"Whats this "if" business? You DID. And if I remember correctly, you walked around the dormitory shirtless ninety-nine percent of the time."

The brunette grinned, setting down his cup. "I'm pleased to hear you noticed."

Remus blushed bright red and glared at the animagus. "You're shameless."

"And now you know where Harry gets it from."

The blond grumbled into his tea as Sirius enjoyed a quiet laugh at his expense. Through it all, it always felt good to tease Remus like this. It was as if things never changed since first year.

"So, what were you thinking about after you corrupted Harry further?"

Sirius smirked then solemned a bit. "The article the Daily Prophet ran the day of Harry's kidnapping."

Remis looked over, frowning. "What about it?"

"Bit odd, isn't it? That that sort of article would run in the Prophet. They usually leave scandals involving Harry alone since Skeeter quit. And the fact that the photos were sent in anonymouslly, well..."

"Do you think it was a set up?"

"What else could it be? Jimmy DID say he saw it just before he saw Harry last. It was the reason he went to go see him in the first place."

Remus' brow furrowed further. "This puzzle just keeps getting more complicated."

The brunnette pushed back his hair, scooping it into a ponytail. "You can say that again."

The silence that followed started out nice enough. Sirius was lost in the possibilities of who or what was behind the kidnapping and WHY. But apparently Remus couldn't stay on this topic for very long.

With a heavy sigh, Remus turned to his friend. "Look, I'll cut right to the chase. I came here to apologize to you."

Sirius was once again knocked from his reverie."What for?"

"For earlier." He said simply.

Sirius frowned. "Remus, you don't have-"

"Yes. Yes I do...Gods, Sirius, I can't even believe I went off on you like that..."

"Really, its fine."

"But its not! What I said...it was wrong. I mean, I admit, some part of me feels that way, but its just the part thats scared...scared of being alone."

Sirius sighed, not wanting to get into this again. He'd barely escaped the first time."You're not alone."

"Yes I am. Ever since he left me...I feel torn, scattered...and the pieces that had him in it, were blown away in the wind."

"But you have Jimmy and Harry. They're not leftovers from a painful past, they're reminders of a beautiful future. One look in their eyes and you'll know...James never left us. He's there, alive, in _them_."

"I know that, but...you just don't understand..."

"I can't say I know exactly how you feel but, Remus, I miss him too...He was like my brother. Probably more so than Regulus ever was. He was the only real family I had."

"Its different for you. He was my _mate_...Even now, I can't function without him."

"Remus...You're a werewolf. So that means you're part wolf, but you're also part man. Men have the choice to move on after losing a lover. Even wolves find another mate if theirs dies. You have to move on." Sirius said, watching his friend's shoulders slump in hopelessness.

"But I can't."

"You CAN, I think you just don't want to. You're so used to being scared and loving only James, you've grown used to it. Its your safe place. But moving on means you're susceptible to new pain and you don't want to risk it."

The blond looked at him, stunned. "Sirius..."

"You can love one more time."

He gave a resigned sigh, idly circling the lip of his teacup."But can I?...Is it even possible to find someone to replace James?"

"Not replace. Just make new space in your heart for this person."

"How, Sirius? And where?"

"How? That part's up to you. Just know that James loved you." It was the harsh truth, Sirius finally admitted to himself. James had always loved Remus. Probably right down to the very last second he was alive...Remus needed closure though. He needed to let go...But telling him the truth of what had actually happened to James wasn't an option. It would continue to be a well-guarded secret known only by himself and Dumbledore, and now Harry. "And wherever he is, he'd want you to be happy. He wouldn't want this life for you, Remus. He'd want you to live and love."

Remus gave a soft sigh, looking up at him with a weak smile."...you're right, Sirius...Thank you."

"Anytime."

"What do I do now? Find someone? I wouldn't even know where to begin looking."

Sirius looked down at the frayed ends of his sweater and chose his next words carefully."Maybe...the person you were always meant to be with, is right under your nose..." Not waiting for his words to sink in quite yet, Sirius glanced at the grandfather clock and stood. "Hmm, its getting late, I better round up the boys and get them to bed."

Sirius had managed to get to the doorway before he was stopped.

"Sirius, wait."

The brunette turned on his heel, arching an innocent brow. "Hmm?"

"Earlier...you said something about a promise you made to James.."

His gut clenched and Sirius forced himself to remain nonchalant."...Yeah?"

Remus fiddled with his cup, his soft tawny hair falling in graceful unison across his cheeks as he looked back up."What was it?"

Sirius regarded his old friend and the scars of his life emblazoned like a scarlet letter across his jaw and neck. Would it be wise to finally tell him about the promise? It could work either way, really...He'd either fall deeper inlove with James or...or he'd see...Well, that was that. He was tired of keeping secrets and Remus had a right to know just how much he had always meant...to the both of them."The day before James went into hiding, he made me promise...if something happened to him, I'd look after his three most cherished treasures."

Remus' piercing amber eyes swirled with emotion, his posture sinking a little."Jimmy, Harry and Lily."

Sirius gave a soft smile and chuckled through his nose. Boy was he dense sometimes. But he guessed that was made him love him so much. "Well, I believe he always liked to call them his two suns...and his moon." The brunette lingered just long enough for the words to draw realization. Honey eyes widened and Sirius grinned warmly. "Goodnight, Moony."

Sirius left the werewolf to his thoughts and after shooing Jimmy and Ron into bed, headed off for his own. With a smile, he pushed RBW off his pillow and crawled in besides an already sound asleep Harry. He'd never tire of having the boy going to him for comfort and he'd never tire of nudging Remus along the right path and he'd never tire of exchanging brilliant banter with Jimmy.

Closing his grey eyes, Sirius left the day behind and rested up for another day of keeping his promise. The promise he made to James those eighteen years ago and the promise he meant to keep until the moment he died.


	15. Second Man

Hullo Gentle Readers!

I'm back with some hardcore fabulous stuff for you. Now, with my modem being out and all, I've had plenty of time to concentrate on writing. Good news for you! Bad news for the bedsores on my ass for sitting at the comp so much! Anyways. As like before, i gota few new one-shots, but as far as GRAVITY goes :smirks mischievously: I got the whole thing written. YAY! GO ME! Yes, well, we all know I hard somein' fierce, so lets get on with the chapter. Warning:LOTS OF SINGING AND GRATUITOUS FLUFF :huggles gratuitous fluff:

* * *

**Second Man**

+ Good Charlotte The Young and the Hopeless+  
+' Twenty Four ' Switchfoot+  
+ Muse Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want +  
+ Alien Ant Farm Movies +  
+ Lifehouse Breathing +

Jimmy Potter never gave it much thought about his dubious job opening the Minister's mail. But since the sudden kidnapping of Harry Potter and the outrage it stirred among wizarding kind, Fudge has developed a significant group of petitioners clamoring for his resignation. Unfortunately, being his assistant, Jimmy gets caught in the crossfire of some extremely bad (though highly clever) jinxed letters. Inadvertently,one letter not only casts its peculiar spell on him, but anyone else in the room. The end result is both amusing ...and revealing.

- - - -

Jimmy Potter was the last to come into the picture, and he knew it. He came right in the middle of the movie, so to speak.

He was the last Potter, the second twin, and the second best friend. He was the second in command, second to cross one's mind...second best. He was 'The Means To An End'...

Who would ever want or love HIM-- the duplicate, the copy-- when they could have the original?

With a heavy sigh, Jimmy leaned back in his squishy office chair, his boots propped up comforably atop his desk. He lazily nibbled on a chocolate dipped banana as he threw a careless glance around the empty office.

Fudge had taken off, as usual, to badger Dumbledore for ideas on a fresh campaign. Elections were coming up and Fudge wasn't looking too hot in the polls. Word of Harry's kidnapping had somehow leaked out and the public had gone as berserk as the Order all dreaded. Exactly five days ago the article in the Daily Prophet ran, shocking the masses with the tip about the Death-Eater kidnapping and since then, letters had come POURING in. It had taken Jimmy and Ginny close to two days to even sort out the howlers, there were just so many.

But when a powerful severing charm narrowly missed Jimmy's neck by scarce inches, they knew this wasn't going to be the oridinary batch of hate-mail.

Jimmy had called in for an Auror, who came two days ago. He did some tests and took away the dangerous chunk of letters, leaving the assisstants with still a considerable stack of mail.

Since then, Jimmy had been harrassing the Auror office to send another official over to handle the new arrivals since he had flat out refused to touch another letter until someone knowledged said he could. He was used to color charms turning his hair pink and had grown quite skilled in the counter-curse, but beheading was another matter.

So, this left him on a rather drizzly monday morning, chewing on chocolate bananas and eyeing warily the mounds of mail burying his desk and most of the office. He'd assigned Ginny to a temporary new office a level up so she could actually do some work, given her desk was now drowning beneath hunks of letters and piles of ash leftover from vehement howlers.

He'd stopped jumping to the ceiling whenever a howler went off and learned to either silence them or block out the ear-piercing screaming. He was sure the surrounding offices weren't too happy with him at the moment.

The brunette hung his head back and stuffed the last of his banana into his mouth as he stared at the ceiling. Life had grown strange over the past two weeks. Harry talked to him less and less, was never home and when he was, locked himself in his bedroom and watched tv. Ron was coming over more often and he'd leave with Harry in tow and they'd go do god knows what. And Draco...Jimmy furrowed his brow and scratched his head at that one.

Draco was being oddly nice. Not that it was a bad thing, but it was just...odd. Draco wasn't usually syrupy nice, but he had been lately. Taking him out to lunch, treating him to dinner and the last act of insanity, delivering a box of german chocolate covered bananas. Damn that boy for knowing his ultimate weakness of foreign chocolate.

Jimmy supposed he was doing it to make up for the past year and the blond's confession at his graduation probably had something to do with the sudden need for redemption.

That was another reason everything felt so odd. Jimmy had been positive he'd tried to do something to Draco that night of the Hogwarts party, and the boy's behavior showed that he had. Draco had been jumpy and curt and mysterious. Draco never before reacted to a boy picking up on him in such a bad way. Jimmy couldn't count the amount of times he'd had to endure Draco flirting back with random Ravenclaw sluts who'd asked him out.

So, why him? Why did he freak out when it was finally Jimmy who came onto him?

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when a soft but confident knock came from the door. Looking up, Jimmy was startled to see his twin's head poking in.

"Harry?" He asked, confused.

The boy smiled and stepped carefully inside, picking his way through the stacks of letters to Jimmy's chair. "You called for an Auror."

Jimmy arched a brow and leaned forward a bit. "Yeeeaaaahh...but I didn't expect them to send my brother who happens to be a trainee."

Harry smiled again and pulled his wand from his sleeve gracefully. Only Harry could ever be practically artful with his wand. " Well, since the Auror, Shacklebolt, who came last time is incharge of my training he decided to give this assignment to me for good practice. Beats the hell out of filing and besides, I thought we could spend a little time together."

Jimmy smiled and relaxed in his chair as he watched his twin chew on his lip as he considered the options he had with a room overflowing with letters. It was a complete shock for Harry to seek HIM out and want to spend time together. Maybe it had just been a mood swing. Jimmy couldn't expect Harry to be all there after his kidnapping, of which he still couldn't get all the details. Harry seemed very reluctant to disclose anything more than he'd already told the Order.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. We found two unknown spells in the batch we took, so some specialists are coming in to supervise my progress. Like thats all I need, ANOTHER person breathing down my neck."

Jimmy stood and wandered around the desk to stand behind his brother, head tilted. "Specialists?"

"Yeah, thats all Shacklebolt told me. Just some specialists from another department..."

Harry's words drifted away into Jimmy's subconscious as the sight of his brother croutching over the desk took his rational mind away.

He was so slim, his slender body wrapped tightly by his maroon academy robes. A hooded maroon sweeper, which Harry favored over the standard winter heavy cloak, hugged him just as tightly. His raven hair was up in its usual ponytail and his glasses were slipping to the tip of his nose.

Glancing up and down, he could see Harry had chosen to wear fitted jeans and a white dress shirt beneath his robes. How delicious it would be to strip away that awful maroon and bite off the buttons of that shirt to reveal porcelain skin...

Before he knew it, he had Harry pinned beneath him on the desk and the boy was enjoying it. He lunged upwards and ravaged Jimmy's mouth with a savage kiss. His hands gripped at Jimmy's messy locks as the younger boy quickly yanked robes and shirts and jeans off, letting them fall haphazardly around the office. Harry's legs wrapped round his waist and his hand dove between them to start furiously tugging on them both. Jimmy arched and groaned into Harry's neck.

"Jimmy, PLEASE!"

"You sure this time?"

"Oh god, yes. _Please_. I need you, Moony."

Jimmy prepared his older brother and drove in without a moment's hesitation. Harry screamed, throwing his head back, his nails digging into Jimmy's sides. The younger twin pounded mercilessly, desire clouding his mind to anything else.

"Mum, Dad, prasti..."

Harry cried out, arched, writhed. Jimmy circled his hips, deepened, growled.

"...JIMMY!"

The brunette blinked and Harry disappeared from his arms and resumed his place infront of him, fully clothed and fully puzzled.

"You ok, Jim?"

The boy nodded dazedly, leaning against the desk for support. Harry frowned at him and spotted the box of bananas.

"Oh Jim, you didn't. You KNOW what too much chocolate does to you." Harry chastened then turned back to his work.

Jimmy blinked away the lingering memories of the fantasy and rubbed his forehead. That was...something different. "Um, w-what did you say about the specialists?"

"Next time stop daydreaming and pay attention for once. " Harry said, doing various complicated flicks of his wand. "The specialists are from another department. They're coming cause of the unknown spells and I said I hope they keep their mouths shut cause I can't take one more person criticizing how I do things wrong today."

"Just today, Potter?"

Jimmy turned and knew fate hated him. Standing in the doorway, looking smug and taken aback,were Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley. "Dray? Ron? What're you doing here?"

Draco waltzed into the room and deposited himself into Ginny's chair. "We've come to watch Potty blow himself up. It should be quite entertaining. Oh, did you get those chocolates I sent?"

Jimmy nodded a bit watching Ron scowl in Draco's direction and walk over to where Harry was busying himself with a particularly nasty looking green envelope.

"We're ACTUALLY here for work. Well, atleast _I_ am. " Ron said, leaning over Harry's shoulder and making Jimmy glower discretely. "Its my speciality and since Malfoy's my partner, he came along to be a pain in my arse."

Draco waved his hand absently and crossed his legs. " Yes yes. Weaselbee here specializes in unknown and new spells where as I-"

"Make potions and boss people about. " Ron finished for him.

Draco sneered at him and flicked a lock of white-blond from his eyes. "My job is far more complicated than that. It includes countless sidejobs that require my irreplaceable talents and more than one espionage job."

"You make potions and boss people about." Ron repeated, then croutched down at Harry's side.

Jimmy waved his hands, shaking his head in confusion. " Ok, wait, so how does that explain why you two are here?"

Draco sighed and idly prodded a letter that was starting to mutter to itself with his toe. "The Department of Mysteries saw fit to send two officials to investigate the Minister's mail to see if there are any other new spells that come along."

Ron shifted onto his knees, shifting his robes out of the way of biting envelopes." We won't interfer very much, mainly just watch Harry do his job and butt in when we spot something of interest."

"Like Potty's hair on fire." Draco said with a smirk.

Much to Draco's chagrin, however, Harry wasn't listening to a single word they had been saying. He was currently engrossed in a letter that was glowing purple beneath his wandtip.

"Well now, thats interesting, " He muttered under his breath and took something out of his pocket.

Jimmy, now accepting the fact that his friends were a bunch of loons, crossed his arms and looked over at the far too cozy pair on the ground. "What is?"

Harry blinked and looked up in confusion, " Huh? " His eyes glanced besides him and widened when he registered the new occupants. "Where did you guys come from?"

Draco regarded the daft boy blankly, "The moon. Now get on with it. What's so interesting about that letter?"

"Huh? OH! Yes. "Harry turned back rather excitedly and started to flip through a tiny book. Jimmy supposed that was what he had taken out earlier. "Usually in hexed letters, a weak or simple spell is attached directly to the parchment and eventually wears off after a given time."

"That's all fascinating, really, "Draco said, picking his nails. "Want to try telling us something we didn't already know?"

Harry frowned, his eyes flicking back and forth as he scanned his little book, " Mmm, yes, hmmm...Well, what's interesting is not only does this letter have a base spell thats unusually strong, indicated by blue, but a secondary spell that's modifying the first, indicated by red. Hence the purple."

Jimmy glanced between the three, wondering if this made any sense or if this was what intense training did to delicate pscyhes. His knowledge of hexed letters was pretty limited since he had preferred direct hexing back at Dunlap.

"So is this a new spell?" Ron inquired, tilting his head. Jimmy wanted to punch him for some reason.

"Hmm? Oh, no. Just modified." Harry said, going back to reading before stuffing the book in his mouth and plunging his hand into his robes once more. Pulling out what looked like a pair of pewter prongs, Harry picked up the letter and set it in a basket he had brought with him.

"Forgot the levitation spell already, eh Pothead?" Draco remarked from his chair.

"Can't be too careful. "Harry replied. " Don't want to risk wandwork being the trigger. Better to be safe than sorry."

Draco slumped in his chair, looking miffed that his goading wasn't working like it usually did. Jimmy had to admit the blond was right. But then, Harry was always a bit strange when it came to his work. He took it far too seriously. Jimmy didn't know the number of times he'd tripped over Harry's research books scattered round the cottage. He'd even found one in the freezer.

"Well, since we're going to be stuck here for hours thanks to Potty's sick fascination with the intricaties of a letter, why don't we have some riveting conversation." Draco suggested, folding his arms. "I have it on good authority that Scarhead's living the double life of a whore."

Jimmy quirked his brow in amusement and leaned back against the wall.

"Oh thats a load of crap, Malfoy, " Ron retorted, standing to regard his blond partner.

"Is it now? My sources tell me otherwise." Draco replied smugly, sitting back comfortably.

"Gossip at the country club hardly counts as good authority." Ron said frankly.

Jimmy snorted and earned himself a scowl from the blond.

"And how would you know, Weasel? Bit of inside info yourself?" Draco said, regarding the redhead carefully.

Ron's ears went red and he turned quickly back to watching Harry's progress. Jimmy's eyes shifted to catch Draco's as he mouthed 'You know?'

Draco nodded.

Jimmy blinked his surprise. Well. Weren't exactly discrete, were they? If Draco knew, then that meant...Fuck. Harry must be humping Ron every chance he got...Why that lying, backstabbing slut! No wonder he never wanted to talk and always ran whenever Jimmy got close. He was already having sex with someone else and he didn't want to deal with the guilt of admitting he had been cheating on Jimmy with Ron for who knew how long!

"Its mind-boggling how popular Potty has gotten."

Jimmy huffed to himself, fuming. "What do you mean?"

Draco idly traced patterns on the amrest of his chair, looking at nothing in particular. " My sources tell me that the Golden Boy catalogue has been receiving almost three times as many orders since that article ran about the kidnapping. And more than half of those orders are from _men_."

Jimmy rose his eyebrows. Well that was news.

"Oh thats just ridiculous. They could very well be ordering replica Gryffindor swords or daggers that killed Voldemort or Firebolts or new wands." Ron replied, leaning sideways against the pile that used to be the desk.

Draco looked amused. "Know the catalogue well, do you?"

Ron scowled. " I have to. Don't know how many times folks have come up to me, asking for insider advice on what to buy."

"So Weasel is famous too. Funny how fame works that way." Draco said, smirking.

Jimmy folded his arms, the sting of realizing Harry was shagging this redheaded Unspeakable still painful. " Fame by association isn't fame at all."

Ron looked at him curiously, but was quickly cut off by Draco remarking casually. "Makes you wonder what kind of a shag Potter is if everyone is doing him."

"If dancing is equivalent to how you sex, then Harry's awful. "Jimmy replied, forcing a smirk though he felt sick to his stomach.

Harry, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to this entire conversation. And Ron was growing redder by the minute.

"Does he bring lovers home often then Jimmy?"

Green eyes moved over to stare at the back of a red head of hair, unable to help the glare. "No. He fucks them elsewhere."

"The slut, " the former Slytherin said with a dark smile.

Ron was on his feet and glaring them both down with furious retaliation. "Ok! Enough! You both know very well Harry isn't anything like that!"

Jimmy arched an eyebrow, "Do we though?"

Ron's mouth moved to answer when Harry's shriek silenced them all.

"OH SHIT!"

Ron was bodily knocked over by Harry who had been scrambling backwards on his bum. Draco leapt to his feet as Jimmy straightened out with concern.

"Run run run!" Harry yelled, trying to untangle himself from the redhead.

Jimmy hesitated, as did Draco, both too confused to move.

Harry threw himself over Ron as a dangerous sort of clicking noise came from their end of the office. Jimmy blinked then gasped as Draco threw him down behind Ginny's desk and covered him much like Harry did Ron.

Not a moment later, the room exploded with two noises. The first was a deafening screaming, which Jimmy quickly deduced was a howler. The second, however, left him baffled. It sort of sounded like a chorus of bad opera singers who decided to sing different songs at the same time.

As soon as it had started, the noises faded away, leaving the office strangely quiet. Jimmy pried open an eye carefully, shocked to find his vision filled with lots of blond. It was pleasant in any case to have the boy pressing down on him, completely covered and protected.

"Holy shit..." Draco breathed, slowly stirring.

Jimmy exhaled shakily, his ears ringing and his tongue tingling. "You can say that again."

Draco helped him to his feet and kept ahold of his arm as Jimmy rubbed the back of his head.

"You ok?" the blond asked, grey eyes filled with worry.

Jimmy nodded, taken aback by the intense concern. "Fine. Just bumped my head on the crash landing."

Draco tightened his grip on Jimmy's arm and looked at the other end of the office. " Weasley? Potter? You still alive?"

"...mrrgh..."

"Hopefully thats a yes. " Jimmy said and hurried over. Finding his twin sprawled out ontop of his rival wasn't easy to see, but he supposed he could kill Ron later, so he helped the two to their feet and dusted off a dazed Harry. "You alright?"

"Y-yeah. I think so. " Harry replied, frowning in confusion as he patted himself down.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron breathed, massaging his side.

"A howler jumped in my basket."

"That could be an interesting new sex eupheism." Draco commented.

Harry had his little book out again and was flipping through it furiously. "I knew what the second layer was, but what was it modifying?" he mumbled to himself.

"Bit louder there, Potty. My ears haven't stopped humming." Draco said, rubbing said ears.

"Huh? Oh. Er, right. " Harry looked up from the pages, his face drawn tight in worry. " The second spell was an inner mind charm. It affects the subconscious and what lies there. It was modifying the base spell."

"SO what was the base spell then?" The blond demanded impatiently, apparently ruffled that he had gotten caught in a spell he knew nothing about.

Harry frowned. "I...I didn't get a good look at it. " Draco sniffed and Ron groaned. " I was supposed to just file the harder ones! My instructions were clear on that."

"Well a fat load of good your instructions do us now, Scarhead. We've probably just got smacked by a modified spell that has to do with our subconscious."

Harry frowned and Jimmy went to him. "Its ok, Harry. Just use whats left of the letter and go from there."

The brunette smiled gratefully and turned back to the basket.

"So what do the rest of us do? Sit on our hands and sing a diddy?" A bristling Slytherin quipped.

Ron sighed loudly, " Why don't you Ferret? Atleast it'll give us some background noise other than your whining."

Draco glared, " Who are you to speak to me about background noise? Wasn't it just the other day that you were blubbering-"

"Finish that sentence and kiss your immaculate hair goodbye."

"OK girls, playtimes over. " Jimmy stepped in, knowing only too well the warning signs of two very tempermental purebloods.

"No." Draco snapped and glared down Ron. "You've been cheeky for too long and its getting on my nerves."

"I'M cheeky!" Ron exclaimed. " Who's been the one strutting about the office, scaring the pants off of Kevin!"

"He deserves it! He's a prima-donna-punk-wannabe and I've had enough of him complaining about his 'raw deal'. The boy grew up in a five-story mansion two villages away from mine. It's enough to make you sick."

"Oh, and I suppose YOU have a better sob story?"

"As a matter of fact, I do! Atleast alot better than HIS and you don't see me using it to get ahead in life."

"Cause no one cares."

"Wanna say that again, Weasel."

"CAUSE-NO-ONE-CARES."

"That's it Weaselbee! You're mine!"

"AGH!" JImmy gripped his hair as the two boys started throwing whatever they could at eachother. Draco and Ron were fighting, Harry was oblivious and Jimmy was quickly losing his patience.

"Hard days made me, hard nights shaped me.  
I dunno they somehow saved me.  
And I know i'm making something  
out of this life they called nothing!"

Jimmy stared dumbly, a balled up letter fell from Ron's limp hand and they both watched in fascination as Draco started to bat at his mouth, a look of horror on his face.

"i take what i want, take what i need, they say its wrong but its right for me.  
i won't look down, won't say i'm sorry.  
i know that only God can judge me.  
and if i make it through today, will tomorrow be the same?  
am i just running in place?  
and if i stumble and i fall  
should i get up and carry on?  
will it all just be the same?"

By now, Harry had turned around, his emerald eyes widening in dawning surprise as the blond flapped his hands in panic as his mouth formed words his brain obviously didn't tell him to say.

" Cause i'm young and i'm hopeless .  
i'm lost and i know this.  
i'm going no where fast, thats what they say  
i'm troublesome, i've fallen.  
i'm angry at my father.  
its me against this world and i don't care...i don't care!"

Jimmy had to hand it to Draco, he was taking this all very well. He looked as if the panic was ebbing away, to be replaced by sheer humiliation. Breaking into song was rarely a pleasant event.

"And no one in this industry understands the life I lead.  
when i sing about my past.  
its not a gimmick, not an act.  
these critics and these trust fund kids  
try to tell me what punk is,  
but when i see them on the street they've got nothing to say!"

Slowly the words spilling from his best friend's lips started to take affect. As he sang, Draco stopped looking embarrassed or horrified and more as if...as if he had been waiting ages to say something to this effect. Things of him against the world and being lost and the frustrations of his life... Jimmy frowned as Draco stopped singing, stumbling back against the wall at the power of his admission.

Harry blinked dumbly. "Well...now we know what the first spell was."

"A singing spell?" Ron asked needlessly.

"Tied into our subconscious. So, what we sing is what-"

"We don't need a breakdown of the obvious, Potter. "Draco said sharply. Harry looked slapped and the blond quickly hurried to the door.

Singing songs of the subconscious, huh? This could be dangerous...and if Draco got hit, that meant-

"I'll try to come up with a counter-curse, but it'll be tricky. We need to get down to the Magical Reversal department and see if they can't come up with anything."

Maybe this was what he needed. What he had been waiting for. He could never express himself truthfully, he always lived lies. Maybe under the excuse of the spell, he could finally tell Harry how he truly felt...

"You stay here, and use a silencing spell on yourselves. I'll grab some officials and get back here as soon-"

"24 oceans  
24 skies  
24 failures  
in 24 tries  
24 finds me  
in 24th place  
with 24 drop outs at the end of the day..."

The silence that engulfed the room would've made Jimmy stop, had he the power to do so. But since he didn't, he closed his eyes and let the spell take over him.

"Life is not what thought it was,  
24 hours ago .  
still i'm singing spirit take me up in arms with you.  
and i'm not who i thought i was,  
24 hours ago.  
still i'm singing,  
spirit take me up in arms with you.  
its 24 reasons,  
to admit that i'm wrong.  
with all my excuses,  
still 24 strong.  
you see i'm not copping out,  
not copping out,  
not copping out,  
when you're raising the dead in me.

ohh ohh, i am the second man,  
ohh ohh, i am the second man now,  
ohh , i am the second man now.

and you're raising these 24 voices,  
with 24 hearts.  
and all of my symphonies,  
in 24 parts.

but i wanna be wrong today,  
centered and true,

i'm singing spirit take me up in arms with you.

you're raising the dead in me.

ohh ohh, i am the second man,  
ohh ohh, i am the second man now,  
ohh , i am the second man now.  
and you're raising the dead in me now...yeeeaaahh...

i wanna see miracles,  
to see the world change.  
wrestled the angel,  
for more than a name,  
for more than feeling,  
for more than a cause,  
i'm singing spirit take me up in arms with you.

24 oceans ,  
with 24 hearts,  
all of my symphonies, in 24 parts.  
life is not what i thought it was,  
24 hours ago,  
still i'm singing spirit take me up in arms..."

Slowly opening his green eyes, he was amazed to see all three men staring at him in something close to sad astonishment. A blush raced across his cheeks and Jimmy looked down. Footsteps closed in on him and he was swept up into a bone-crushing hug. Feeling his eyes burn, Jimmy clutched the back of the soft sweater and hugged Harry back.

"I...I'm sorry, Jim..."

Jimmy buried his face into his twin's warm neck. "Its ok big brother."

"Erm, we'll go grab the Magical Reversal officials. Come on Weasley. "

The sharp click of the door signaled that their companions had left and Jimmy had Harry all to himself now.

"I think I always knew you felt like that, but...but you never said anything, so I couldn't be sure..."

"Now you know."

Harry pulled back to regard his twin seriously, his bright green eyes shining with emotion. Jimmy couldn't last much longer. His feelings were throbbing in his ears and Harry felt so warm and Draco's confession was still fresh on his mind. " I'll go grab your supervisor, ok? Don't worry about belting out a song, too. Fudge's offices have a silencing charm on them. No sounds can be heard from the outside and no sounds out there come in here."

Harry nodded and released the brunette, walking away to resume what he had started with the letter remnants.

"Harry..."

The boy in question looked over his shoulder at Jimmy standing by the door. "I love you, Harry...and...and I'm sorry, too."

Harry's eyes glistened and he nodded curtly before quickly returning to his manual. Jimmy slipped quietly out the door, not sure whether he wanted to wait for the spell to make Harry's guts come spilling out. Yes, he desperately wanted to know what was going through Harry's head, but he didn't think he could handle the cruel truth. The possibilities of Harry really not returning his feelings were far too great, and if he was honest with himself, he really didn't think he did either.

"Don't you start too, Weasley."

Jimmy looked up to see Draco standing impatiently infront of the elevator watching a horrified Ron who was covering his mouth with both hands. He mumbled his reply, which Draco apparently heard, since he rolled his eyes and tossed his hair out of his face.

"Oh please. What scandalous thing could you possibly have? The only sort of subconscious crooning that'll come out of you is sickening Gryffindor mush."

Ron answered again and Draco looked pained.

"I very much doubt Potter's astute enough to deduce the song's about him. He's about as sharp as a quaffle."

Jimmy pressed himself back against the door, not wanting to be here. If he couldn't handle Harry's songs, he would downright die if Ron let one out.

"Oh, take your hands off your face, you look ridiculous."

Ron paused, then lowered his hands. "What if I sing though Malfoy? Its embarrassing enough listening to _you_, I don't know if I could stand myself."

"_ **I** _can barely stand you. So just don't feel anything until we get--"

"Good times for a change--"

"Oh here we go." Draco groaned, and leaned against the elevator door.

"See the luck i've had,  
can make a good man turn bad.  
so please please please,  
let me let me let me,  
let me get what i want this time."

Draco was frowning more and more, his irritation fading away into silent sadness.

"Haven't had a dream in a long time.  
see the life i've had,  
can make a good man, bad.  
so for once in my life,  
let me get what i want.  
lord knows it would be the first time.  
lord knows it would be the first time."

Draco stepped across the hall to where Ron was doubled over, hugging his stomach and shuttering. He gently rubbed the redhead's back and ushered him into the newly arrived elevator.

"Come on, mate. Lets get this spell off of you. " He said soothingly.

Jimmy caught a brief glance of Ron's brown eyes lined with red and tear tracks staining his freckled face before the doors closed and he was once again alone. The startling insight into Ron's current emotions made Jimmy realize the depth of the redhead's love for Harry...It wasn't some schoolboy crush or infatuation with a celebrity. No. Ron really did love Harry. The spell's song was proof enough. The boy was in pain...Jimmy felt pain too, yes, but not like that. Not so...pure.

Glancing at the door, Jimmy knew what he had to do. He didn't want to, but it had to be done...For both their sakes.

He watched as Harry turned to look at him with surprise as he closed the door behind him.

"Whats wrong? What happened?"

Jimmy walked over silently and kneeled down infront of his twin. Grabbing the boy's hands, he knew this was it. His heart was about to be broken, but maybe then he could feel the world's weight off his shoulders. Maybe then he could breathe. " Harry. How do you feel about us?"

The boy blinked in surprise. His lips moved wordlessly then his eyes widened as he soon realized what Jimmy was doing. "No. Jimmy. NO! Wait, I-"

Squeezing his older brother's hands tighter, he repeated. " How do you feel about us? About me?"

Harry stared at him, his lips parted in speechlessness. It was coming though. Jimmy could see it in the boy's eyes.

Harry looked down and squeezed his eyes shut as his mouth finally moved and produced words of truth and pain. But he'd be damned if he stopped Harry now.

"At your speed,  
we all seem,  
focused.  
emotion.  
we seem,  
wrong, oh wrong.  
in summer,  
we can taste,  
the rain."

Harry's eyes lifted and opened for him and Jimmy felt the pressure on his chest ebb the slightest.

" I want you to be free.  
don't worry about me.  
and just like the movies,  
we played out our last scene.

two can play,  
this game,  
we both want power.  
in winter,  
we can taste,  
the pain.

in our short years,  
we come long way.  
to treat it bad and throw away.

i want you to be free.  
don't worry about me.  
and just like the movies,  
we played out our last scene.  
you won't cry,  
i won't scream.

in our short years,  
we come long way,  
to treat it bad and throw away.  
and if we make a little space,  
a science fiction showcase.  
in our short film,  
a long disgrace.  
dream a scene too brightened face.

in our short years,  
we come long way,  
to treat it bad just to throw it away.

i want you to be free.  
don't worry about me.  
and just like the movies,  
we played out our last scene.  
you won't cry,  
i won't scream. "

Jimmy fell forward into Harry's arms and he sobbed harder then he ever had before. Harry just held him and the feelings of passionate love morphed back into adoration for a wonderful older brother. Cause that was what Harry had been all along; Sweet, innocent, indulgent big brother Harry Potter who only did all of this to make Jimmy happy. Harry might have kissed first, but Jimmy kept demanding the kisses...He used Harry, that was obvious now. So obvious.

All so the true pain deep down in his heart could be drowned out by Harry's soft fingers and gentle kisses. But in the end, when Jimmy would be lying alone in his own bed, the truth would come back and the pain would scream in his ears. Because even if Harry gave him kisses all day long, for the rest of his life, he'd give it all away for just ONE kiss from his true love. One moment.

"I love you Jim."

"I love you too, Harry."

"Be free now, ok? No more crying alone in the dark."

"Ok."

"No matter what, I'll be by your side. Never think you're gonna be alone."

Jimmy hugged Harry tighter, closing his eyes as the beginnings of peace edged their way into his exhausted heart. "I know I won't. I have you as a big brother."

They sat there in complete silence, unaware of anything but the rekindling brotherhood firing between them.

Draco and Ron came back some time later, flanked by Magical Reversal officials, as well as Kingsley Shacklebolt and Ginny.

They debated what to do about the situation immediately since the counter-curse had yet to be researched. Ginny eventually made the executive decision to try a silencing charm on each of them and deal with the consequences later.

Luckily, it worked out for the best and the four boys enjoyed the relief from songs threatening to spill from their throats.

Jimmy was sent home to look through the Potter library while Ron and Draco scoured Malfoy Manor's library for clues. Harry stayed behind like the dedicated Auror he was and finished the job he was assigned.

Morning passed into afternoon, lunch came and went and the sun was beginning to set before Jimmy heard the front door open and close. Scrambling to his feet and hurriedly picking his way through a floor scattered with books, Jimmy darted down the hallway and staircase as Harry walked through the living room and collapsed on the couch.

The younger boy raced over and skidded to a stop infront of his older twin. Shrugging his shoulders, he mouthed, "Well?"

Harry held up a finger, apparently catching his breath. "Hold on. I just.. pant.. sang a song to the neighbor.. pant pant ..about her trench coat and she ..pant ...chased me ..gulp.. six blocks."

Jimmy showed his confusion, tapping his throat.

Slowly, Harry sat up, the sweat now more apparent on his skin. "Stupid charm wore off around lunchtime when a howler accidently set off another hexed letter which turned my hair pink."

Jimmy smirked.

"Its not funny. The reversal squad's infinite cantentum stopped the pink hair, but it also took off the silencing charm and I've been singing all day long. My throat's KILLING me."

Jimmy laughed, silently of course, and perched himself on the couch's armrest. Again he mouthed "Well?"

Harry sighed and pushed his sweaty hair off his forehead. "Good news and bad news, then some good news and more bad news. Good news is we found the counter-curse with loads of help from Hermione, bad news is its a complicated potion. Good news, Malfoy finished brewing it earlier this evening, bad news is it takes close to an hour for the effects of the spell to fully wear off."

Jimmy sighed in relief nonetheless, grateful for the end of this adventure. It was nice finally finding out the truth about everybody's feelings, but it was still a bit too revealing for Jimmy's liking.

" Malfoy said he'd stop by soon to give us the potion. I had to leave the Ministry. I think I made the entire staff blush right to their knickers."

Jimmy laughed again and patted his brother's shoulder affectionately. It felt weird to touch him and not feel those disturbing pangs wrench his gut in various directions. Harry would always be beautiful, there was no escaping it, but now he could simply enjoy it from a safe distance. Perhaps now he could truly be friends with Ron again...

"Which reminds me, Malfoy seemed very adament on talking to you when he comes by. He said it was urgent and told me to bugger off soon as I got my potion...Any idea why he'd wanna speak to you alone?"

Harry's eyes were genuinely interested, but Jimmy couldn't answer anyway. Not just because of the charm, but because he honestly had no idea. Draco was just plain WEIRD lately. Oh sure, Jimmy could fantasize all he wanted, but the fact of the matter was there was a letter and a curt conversation in french still fresh in his memory.

Offering his brother a shrug, Jimmy wandered back upstairs and into his room. After shoving aside a few boxes in his closet, he emerged holding a wand box with a drawn-on dragon ontop and headed over to his bed.

Biting his lip, Jimmy lifted the lid and riffled through the stack of letters, notes and photos until he got to the one he wanted. It was brand new looking, since the first time it had been read, the owner stuffed it away immediately. But it was time the letter was reread. Jimmy needed to analyze those words and see if he could make sense of them now. So, taking a deep breath, the brunette began to read the last letter Draco Malfoy had sent him before disappearing to Bulgaria.

" **My Dearest Moony,**

**What words can I write that would begin **t**o explain what I'm about to do? There have been times that not even I have made sense of my logic. I don't know if this is a mistake, but it must be done.**

**I know I said I would help you and Harry get on your feet with a new place, and I'll try to do just that, but it must be from far away. I'm afraid I must leave you, Moony. Its best if I don't explain why. You'll be happier that way.**

**I know you will do well in life. You suceed in everything you set out to do. Goodluck with the Arrows' tryouts, I'm confident you'll do great.**

**Watch out for Harry, he's too thick for his own good. And make sure Weaselbee doesn't end up with Granger. That would just be tragic for the human race.**

**I must draw this letter to a close. I know I haven't said much, but I feel its better that way. Words are fickle, love, they change on you and come out all wrong at times when you most need them to be right.**

**I'm rambling.**

**Take care, Moony. You'll always be on my mind.**

**Yours,**

**Dragon**

Chaque fois que tu t'en vas.

Je pretends que tout va bien. "

Jimmy slowly folded the letter and stared out the window of his bedroom. First things first, Draco knows how to write beautifully, so the bullshit about the wrong words or whatever is unbelievable. Draco always knew what to say and how to say it, him not being able to word things right is the sign of the apocolypse. The first paragraph was confusing at first, but now it made sense. Draco had been planning on going off to train, but obviously he didn't think it was entirely the best idea at the time. He used the words "it must be done." Why though? Who was forcing him to go train? And why did he keep saying "its better this way..." "its best if..."? Better for him or Draco? Cause it obviously wasn't HIM since he practically died that night.

Now onto the part that caused Jimmy the most grief. The french sentences. Translated, it meant "every time you're going by me, I pretend everything is fine." It never seemed to make sense, and even now, Jimmy felt more than a little perplexed.

If he took into account Draco's secret decision to train to become an Unspeakable and resulting absence, then it sort of made sense. It made even more sense if Draco meant the awkward graduation party incident, but that couldn't be right since the letter was written before the party.

What had Draco been trying to say? Why did he pretend everytime Jimmy walked by him? What was he pretending to be? More importantly, what he was pretending NOT to be?

"Oh hey, about time. I think I've almost lost my voice by now."

Jimmy quickly looked away from the window to the open door, hearing Harry's voice float up from downstairs.

"Wouldn't that be a treat."

Blushing, Jimmy recognized the sexy drawl of his best friend. Talk about awkward. Draco was understanding, but he doubted the blond would appreciate his letters being analyzed and his psyche uncovered.

"Jim's upstairs doing something or another. He's been quiet up there for awhile. Its weird. Anyways, I'm heading out now to the pharmacy."

"What for?"

"Throat lozenges."

"Pick me up some too, and a few of those muggle chocolate bars you gave me last time."

"Mars Bars?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Alright. Anything else while I'm there?"

"Some condoms would be nice."

"As if you'd use them."

"I AM going up to see your brother."

"...Oh that's just gross, Malfoy. I'm leaving now, and thanks for the disturbing mental images."

"Anytime, Potty."

The front door shut far off and Jimmy frantically, but carefully, put the letters away and shoved the box beneath his bed. Darting off the floor, he quickly shut his door and locked it. As much as he wanted to be rid of this singing affliction, the absolute last thing he needed right now was to see Draco Malfoy.

It was far too soon. He needed more time to collect his thoughts and do away with the guilt of snogging Harry while wishing it was someone else.

A soft knock came from directly behind his back and Jimmy lurched forward in surprise.

"Jimmy?"

So he took off the silencing charm too, huh? That was certainly interesting.

"Look, I know you're in there, I heard you dashing all over the place while I was coming up the stairs."

Jimmy's cheeks burned as he looked down at his treacherous boots.

Sigh. "Jimmy...Jimmy. There's a reason I came here today instead of just passing along the potion. I needed to see you in person...I-I took the antidote about forty-five minutes ago, the spell should be wearing off soon, but I just had to come see you before it did...there's...there's something I-I wanted to tell you..."

Jimmy turned a bit, leaning his side against the wooden door frame.

"Jimmy...?"

The brunette heard the gut-deep sigh and the shuffle of nervous feet. Closing his eyes, he could practically picture Draco right this second, standing all alone in his hallway. His blond hair hanging in delicate strands infront of his piercing silver eyes. His porcelain skin traveling down beneath that purple vest of his and his favorite black shirt and trousers hugging his body selfishly.

Jimmy knew Draco by sound, by smell and by memory. Everything about him, right down to the very last subtle curl of his lips. He was winter's first snow and icy lakes shining in the afternoon sun. He was the scent of pine that surrounded Malfoy Manor and the lilies Narcissa loved so much. He was the most cherished of dreams on the loneliest of nights.

How he had ever thought he could forget all that by kissing Harry was beyond him...

A soft sort of whispering came from the other side of the door just then and Jimmy was startled to realize it was Draco singing. It wasn't a song he recognized, but he leaned into the door more and enjoyed the rich tenor of the blond's voice all the same. His eyes slid closed again and he lost himself in sound and sight and memory once more as Draco's words danced beautiful images in his aching heart.

" i'm finding my way back to sanity, again.  
though i don't really know what i'm gonna do when i get there.  
take a breath and hold on tight,  
spin around one more time,  
and gracefully fall back to the arms of grace.

cause i am hanging on every word you say and,  
even if you don't wanna speak tonight, thats alright,  
alright with me.  
cause i want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door,  
and listen to you breathing.  
is where i wanna be, yeaaahh.  
where i wanna be.

i'm looking past the shadows in my mind into the truth and i'm,  
trying to identify the voices in my head.  
God which one is you?  
let me feel one more time,  
what it feels like to feel and,  
break these calluses off of me one more time.

cause i am hanging on every word you say and,  
even if you don't wanna speak tonight, thats alright,  
alright with me.  
cause i want nothing more than to sit outside your door,  
and listen to you breathing.  
is where i wanna be, yeaaaah.

i don't want a thing from you.  
bet you're tired of me waiting for the scrapes to fall off of your table to the ground.  
la la la, cause i just wanna be here now.

cause i am hanging on every word you say and,  
even if you don't wanna speak tonight, thats alright,  
alright with me.  
cause i want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door,  
and listen to you breathing.  
is where i wanna be, yeaaahh .

cause i am hanging on every word you say and,  
even if you don't wanna speak tonight, thats alright,  
alright with me.  
cause i want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door,  
and listen to you breathing.  
is where i wanna be, yeaaahh .

where i wanna be. "

Tears slowly trickled down his face as his lip had by now given way to his sharp canine. His fist clutched the doorknob and his forehead pressed against the cool wood of the door.

Sounds of fabric moving and the soft clink of glass against wood came from just beneath the crack in the door before receeding footsteps down the staircase let Jimmy know his serenader was gone.

Long moments passed before he was able to breathe properly again. He opened his door and picked up the vial of antidote left for him, along with a note. Jimmy leaned back against his doorway, absently hearing the sound of the front door open and Harry's voice announcing he was home and he came bearing cough drops and Mars Bars.

Jimmy read the note, smiled and tucked it away in the dragon box under his bed. Then he downed the potion and ran down to jump Harry for the Mars Bars he seemed to have cleaned the pharmacy of. All the while, in the back of his mind, he replayed the words on the note. "See you at the Masquerade Ball."

Draco was wrong. Sometimes words came out right. Seems all along, all he had to do was add a cheery little tune to them.


	16. RetributionAbsolution

**

* * *

**

Retribution...Absolution

+ John Mayer When I'm Not Myself+  
+ Coldplay The Scientist +

Remus Lupin was always alone. He would always be alone. He wanted it that way.  
Sirius Black wasn't alone. He was never alone. He wanted it that way.  
But looks can be deceiving.  
Can a silly exterior really be layers of self defense and years of pain? Can a warm demeanor really be a mask to cloak the emptiness left from a lost love?  
Can Harry and Jimmy save their Godfathers from a fate worse than death; Loneliness?  
Can they overcome their own unresolved darknesses?  
The Ministry's Halloween Masquerade Ball seems the perfect place to find a solution.

- - - -

Harry Potter quite liked days like this. Busy all day long working on his internship for a much too important Auror who had better things to do than piece together a torn and burned parchment. Oh sure, it was boring as hell and Harry suspected the fumes from the parchment restoration solution was frying brain cells, but it was quiet. Yep. Sweet sweet solitude in his tiny corner of the lab while all the other Aurors were off on missions and saving lives.

Harry was perfectly happy sitting on his stool and put jinxed papers back together. With a chirpy little sigh, Harry reached over and turned up the volume on his tiny radio, letting the Clash filter throughout the lab.

Carefully setting down a particularly temperamental scrape that had been giving him problems, the brunette didn't hear the door open until it was too late and he was swept up in someone's arms.

"YAGH!"

Harry draped unflatteringly, his glasses askew, and looked up into his Godfather's gleeful face.

"You ass. You scared the shit outta me." Harry said, scrunching his nose and getting a case of vertigo. He usually did so well with heights, but when in someone's arms, he always went to pieces. Maybe it was because he trusted a broom more versus a person's morals. Or maybe it was all Ron's fault.

Sirius grinned and reached over to grab Harry's burgundy sweeper and pulled the plastic tarp over the young Auror's work area before heading out the door.

"Sirius! What're you doing!"

"Kidnapping you to lunch and alcohol."

Harry squirmed in the man's arms, wishing he had been born with a bigger build. "I can't--! My work!"

"Oh, you can take a break from being Kingsley's bitch, " Sirius said flippantly.

Harry struggled more, "But it needs to be done by tomorrow morning and I still haven't figured out the undercoding."

"So?"

Harry scowled. " Sirius, let me down this instant, I have to get back to work."

"Nope," He replied, huge grin plastered all over his face.

It was now that Harry noticed something off about him. "What did you do now?"

Sirius looked innocently taken aback. "Whatever do you mean Harrykins?"

The boy's green eyes narrowed, " If this is a Random-Sirius-Moment, you can drop me off right here. I don't have the time to deal with your adventures that always involve me writing out apology notes."

Sirius pouted, " You're so mean sometimes, Harry. I swear, I left you WAY too long in Remus' care. He's ruined you."

Harry growled and folded his arms, trying not to die of embarrassment as they made their way through the halls to the elevator. No matter how great his protests, Sirius didn't let him down. It was ridiculous how little the guy didn't trust him to not take off running.

"Alright then pack mule, where're we going exactly?" Harry inquired, trying to shift into a position that allowed the faces of the amused riders behind them to fade behind Sirius' fat head.

"Chet Blanc."

Now Harry was intrigued. "Why so fancy? We celebrating something?"

At this, Sirius grinned wider. "As a matter of fact, yes. You are looking at the officially reinstated citizen of the wizarding world, with a personal pardon from ol' Fudge-packer himself."

"Let me down."

Sirius blinked. "Why?"

"So I can glomp you properly."

The man beamed and promptly set Harry back onto the ground, which turned out to be a silly move since he tackled Sirius in such a bone-crushing hug there wasn't much difference between now and how he was before. Either way, Sirius deserved a great hug, lots of slaps on the back and a pinch for not telling the young lad sooner.

"You promised me you'd keep me informed of the paperwork." Harry chastened, stepping out of the elevator and quickly leading the way out of the Ministry.

Sirius slipped his hands into his pockets, looking about ten years younger. "I know, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well, it is. But you still should've told me. _I _wanted to take _you_ out for celebratory lunch and alcohol."

The man grinned, slinging an arm round Harry's neck. "That's so sweet. I've changed my mind. Since I'm feeling just SO wonderful, I'm gonna let you buy me lunch."

Harry smirked. "Lucky me."

"Yes. Lucky you. I just got back from one of Dumbledore's missions and I'm STARVING."

Harry grimaced as he was dragged into the restaurant, already feeling his wallet lightening.

About two hours later, and many rounds of red currant rum (which was about all Harry could handle), the two men finally exited the restaurant and were walking leisurely down the nicer parts of Diagon Alley.

"Never underestimate French cuisine, " Sirius burbled through a burp.

"And its a wonder you're still single." Harry said, fishing in his pockets for change.

"I'll have you know that's a personal choice, not to be mocked." Sirius replied.

Harry rolled his eyes and paid for a copy of the Daily Prophet from an owl perched atop a stack of them. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. Cause I'm sure any woman would simply swoon at your ability to inhale three steaks and not gag."

"Meat is my specialty. I guess my mouth can just take it."

If Harry had been drinking water, it'd be all over the sidewalk and himself. "OK, pretending I didn't hear that the way I think I did and making a note to find a really good therapist."

Sirius ruffled his hair, smirking. " You're too easy."

The Gryffindor just grumbled, his nose now buried in his paper. " So what now?"

Sirius shrugged. "Home, probably. Everyone else is either at work or still out on missions. I swear that house would get dead lonely if it wasn't for RBW the third and Buckbeak."

Laughing a bit, Harry paused his scanning for any headlines involving him to glance at his Godfather. "What about Lupin? I thought he'd be back by now."

Sirius' face darkened at the mention of his friend's name and Harry didn't fail to notice the drop in his tone." Nope. Dumbledore's got him doing lots of legwork up in Scandinavia. Lots of vampire activity round there."

Frowning, the younger man offered a comforting arm squeeze. "He'll be just fine. Its Remus after all."

Sirius nodded absently, making Harry think he hadn't really heard him to begin with. Then there was a broad grin on his face and the strange moment had passed. "Well, I better let you get back to work. Merlin knows what Kingsley will be thinking right about now."

Harry hugged his sweater tighter around him in the cool October breezes. "Probably that I managed to get myself kidnapped again."

Sirius smirked. "Which you did."

"Yeah, well...atleast my kidnapper was cute this time." Harry mumbled, looking put out.

The man laughed and snuggled his Godson. "You think I'm cute? I knew it! Oh Harry, you big sweetheart!"

He pushed the man away, trying to scowl and not laugh. It'd only encourage him. "Go away now."

"Going, going, " Sirius said, laughing. " But I'll have you know I'm never letting you live this one down Potter." The boy grumbled his fate and folded his arms.

As soon as Sirius had disappeared into the crowd, Harry trekked up the steps of the Ministry and went inside. The hustle and bustle seemed to become almost natural to him by now. At first it had thrown him off, but before he knew it he had become apart of the constant hum of activity. Though at times, like this, he wondered if he had made the right decision.

He liked working at the Ministry and knowing things before others did and actually having a substantial opinion in circumstances. He liked being busy all the time, it kept him from thinking too much about certain things. He liked being close to Jimmy. Of course, that also meant he worked close with Ron as well. And that sort of made the whole "no thinking zone" thing completely useless.

With a sigh, Harry traipsed across the lobby, past the hallway of floo fireplaces.

"Hi Harry! Bye Harry!"

Turning with surprise, he watched as the back of his brother whizzed past him, undoubtedly following after Fudge and entourage who were waiting by one of the fireplaces.

Jimmy skidded to a halt and scurried back to him, arms loaded down with folders, scrolls and a tray of crumpets. "Harry! Glad I caught you before I left. Where were you? I sent a memo owl to your lab, but they said you weren't there. Anyway, I'll be gone this weekend. Fudge-brownie has us doing press conferences for the reelection campaign out west-"

"JIMMY?"

"Be right there!-- Anyway, so you'll have to learn the Minister's Waltz by yourself with Cienna. I'll try and get someone to teach it to me while I'm away. Sorry. I know I promised we'd learn it together for the Masquerade, but with the elections coming up and everyone hating Smudge's guts-"

"Jimmy, where are you?"

" I'm coming you useless cow!--Its been hell. I'm totally swamped. Luckily the hate mail isn't an issue anymore. Thanks again for working that out for me-"

"Jimmy!"

"I said I'm coming you brainless toad!--I'll cya Sunday night. Don't wreck the house, ok? I just got it clean for once. And no wild parties or steamy orgies with redheads-"

"JIMMY!"

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph YES! FINE! I'M COMING!--Take care. Oh! And be sure to give Peri her bath. Thanks! Bye bro!"

Harry stood in a daze, his head spinning, as he watched Jimmy disappear behind the Minister into the green flames. Only moments later did he comprehend what the boy had rattled off to him.

"Wait, _I_ have to wash Periwinkle?"

-----

It was common knowledge at Potter Asylum that Periwinkle Potter absolutely loathed water and anything to do with it. She barely tolerated her water dish. So the daunting task of giving the prissy kneazle a full-out bath was, to put it lightly, harder to accomplish than killing Voldemort. Voldemort was never small and, when wet, slipped out of your fingers and dripped tracks of suds all over the house.

Harry finally sank down against the wall, the front of his shirt, pants and his hair soaked. Watching with a tired glare as Peri hopped up onto the window sill, passively licking her paw clean of soap, he realized he hated that cat.

Not only had she ruined his favorite Weasley sweater, but she'd decided to use his punching bag as a personal cat toy. She was too much like her Daddy...stupid Jimmy.

"Probably purposely waited until he knew he was going out of town to give her a bath." Harry grumbled.

"Probably."

Harry turned with a glare. "And where were YOU?"

Cienna smiled innocently."Outside watching from a safe distance."

"But you know you're the only one who makes her sit still long enough to wash her."

The latina shrugged and floated next to Harry's shoulder. "She's clean now."

"Feh."

The girl grinned and flapped her fingers back and forth over Harry's loose hair. "So handsome, looking forward to dance lessons tomorrow?"

The Gryffindor scrunched his nose. "Not anymore. Turns out Jim's gone away on business so I won't have a dancing partner."

"Aw, but snoogums, you'll have me, " Cienna replied, pouting her already pouty lips.

"Don't call me that and it won't be the same."

"Sure it will. Atleast with me, if you make a mistake, you'll have incentive not to mess up again."

Harry regarded her suspiciously, "What do you-" Suddenly Cienna's hands plunged into his arm, sending him rocketing forward with shock. "ARGH!"

"See?" Cienna said, smiling happily. "Incentive."

Harry went to bed early that night, grumbling about his horrid fate. The next morning proved to not be much better. Cienna was worse than a drill sergeant, ordering him around and driving her hands into whatever orface of his she saw fit. She worked him for two days straight and his muscles were already begging for the end. Even if he worked out for an hour before the lessons, he was still stumbling and Cienna was still giving him some serious frostbite.

But by the end of their lesson Saturday afternoon, Harry had permanent goosebumps but only _one_ left foot. Despite the horrible sensations of icy cold, Harry was pleased with how well he could do the dance now. It would've been horrifying showing up at the ball not knowing how to do the traditional Minister's Waltz.

After a shower and changing into some comfy lounging clothes, Harry settled onto the den carpet with Max, his school books and parchment oceaned round him. The television and Playstation beckoned to him, and he was hard pressed to concentrate on unicorn blood in healing potions and the various ways to catch dragon's fire. But he'd put off his essays for too long and he really needed to buckle down with winter exams coming up soon. He thought the Auror Academy would've gotten a bit easier to handle his second year, but how wrong he was. It seemed to be only getting harder.

"Getting second thoughts about your career?"

Harry looked up to see Cienna floating down the staircase and hovering infront of him. "No...Yes...I mean...Oh, I don't know. I love this, I really do. It feels great to be helping people and doing actual good in the world. But the process, the mundanity of it sometimes..."

"Makes you wish you had gone into Quidditch." Cienna finished with a small smile.

Harry sighed, and though he hated to admit it, agreed with her wholly. "I like the power the job gives me. I like knowing I can protect those who I love."

"But who will protect YOU, Harry?"

He bit his lip, twirling his quill between his fingertips absently.

"...arr...y?"

Maybe she had something. Maybe what he really wanted was to be protected...But how silly was that? Harry Potter didn't get protected, he always _did_ the protecting...it was his destiny.

"...h...rry...?"

But perhaps, if only for once, he wanted to sit back, relax and enjoy his life. Not have it always preparing and leading up to the next big thing.

"Harry?"

Maybe it was time to consider a job change...and life change.

"Harry...? Harry! There you are!"

The brunette jumped, blinking out of his reverie to see his Godfather scrambling down the stairs, looking frantic.

"Harry, quick. Come with me."

The boy frowned, jumping to his feet. "What? What is it?"

"No time, just COME!" And with that, Sirius grabbed his arm and dragged him back upstairs and into the fireplace.

They came out in Black Manor's sitting room and Harry was at a loss as to what happened. Sirius ushered him forward and within seconds it dawned on him.

Lying sprawled out on the couch, wincing and groaning,his leg split open, was Remus Lupin .

Harry dashed over, dropping down to his knees infront of the blond. "Oh my god, what happened!"

"Trolls. Angry ones." Remus hissed, his hands curled tightly round the frayed, bloody fragments of his pant leg.

"Dumbledore's unreachable, Hogwarts is in session and I know you've been studying advanced healing charms, so I was hoping you could do something for him. "Sirius said, his eyes wide with worry.

Harry hesitated, wondering if an actual Healer wouldn't be best, but considering the reason for the injury and the plain fact that Lupin was a werewolf, it didn't seem likely any Healer would want to come within a mile of him.

So, he nodded and scurried into the downstairs bathroom. He quickly came back with a shallow bowl of warm water, a washcloth and a roll of gauze.

"We had that here?" The brunette man inquired curiously.

"Course. _You_ and _Ron_ live here, yanno. " Harry answered simply, eliciting a small laugh from Remus. The boy turned his attentions back to the blonde and pulled out his wand from his back pocket. "How long ago was this?"

"Er, abou-about an hour ago," Remus said through gritted teeth.

Harry winced for the man and mumbled a severing charm, ripping off the pant leg all together. He winced again at the full sight of the wound. From kneecap to ankle, the werewolf's leg was sliced wide open. Harry thought he could even see bone. Gathering his composure, he began gently murmuring every healing charm he knew he could perform, all the while ignoring the whimpers and gasps coming from his Godfather's best friend.

Maybe it was the situation, or it was just him, but it seemed that Sirius was acting rather touchy. He continuously kept rubbing the man's good leg, his hand, his shoulder. He kept mumbling words of comfort and distracting recollections of their Hogwarts days.

It was throwing Harry off a tad. There was defintely something going on there. It was hidden behind Sirius' piercing grey eyes and Remus' grateful amber. Had it always been there? Had he just never noticed until now?

"Ouch Harry!"

Blinking from his thoughts, Harry muttered an apology and sat back on his heels. "Its the best I can do. What I recommend is taking him to Madame Pomfrey soon as Dumbledore gets back."

"I-I can't." Remus managed through a wince of pain.

Harry carefully bandaged up his leg, hoping his inferior tissue-binding spell would hold out."Why not?"

"Because...I...I just can't."

Harry turned a curious brow to Sirius.

"Full moon's coming up tomorrow night." He answered.

Harry sighed and nodded, wiping up the splatters of blood from Remus' foot. "Does Snape have the potion ready?"

"It s-should be in the p-pantry. He l-left it for me b-before he left for Roman-nia, "Remus said, his fingers clenched tightly round Sirius'.

"Alright. "Harry sighed once more. " Siri, why don't you help him up to bed. I'll grab some things from my house and be back to watch over the wound until tomorrow."

His Godfather nodded obediently and gently scooped his friend up into his arms. Watching them ascend the staircase, muttering to eachother too friendly, Harry was almost positive something was brewing and it aggravated him to no end that he didn't know what.

"Heya Harry...Holy Merlin! Why're you covered in blood!"

Harry looked over his shoulder at Ron's shocked face. Giving himself a once over, he realized that he DID look a fright. His shirt was smothered with Remus' blood and his sweatpants didn't fair too well either. "Crap. I need to change."

Ron looked at him as if this were quite the dumb thing to say, and followed him back into the sitting room. "So, are you going to tell me why you're covered in blood?"

Harry dug his hand into the pot of floo powder and tossed it into the fire. "Remus got hurt pretty bad by some trolls. I came over to play Healer since Snape's off doing something far away and Dumbledore's not responding to owls, making Madame Pomfrey not an option. Especially not with school started."

"Oh. " Ron said blankly."So, where are you going?"

"My house to pick up a few things and to change." Harry considered him before deciding. "Come with me. There's something I want to ask you."

Ron nodded uncertainly and followed Harry into the flames, coming out in Potter Asylum's living room. After changing, Harry led the way straight to the den and began prodding through his bookcase.

"What exactly are you looking for?" The redhead asked, curiously toeing a book that lay open to a page of dragons.

"Ummmm, my books on healing potions. "Harry mumbled, pulling down a few volumes. "Grab those three books and rolls of parchment at your feet, would you?"

The sound of paper rustling let Harry know Ron had done as he was asked. Good, now he was free to carry even more books.

"So what did you want to ask me?"

Harry paused his fingers near a tome about Dark Wizardry Theories and licked his lips. "Have you noticed anything, er, _strange_ about Sirius and Remus? "

"Strange how?"

Harry stacked one last book on his pile by his foot before turning to face his friend. " Strange as in close physical contact, muttering secretly to eachother. Just a, well, just a weird vibe always following them, particularly Sirius."

Ron looked thoughtful, lightly scratching his chin. "Well...now that you mention it, I _have_ been noticing Sirius get sorta jumpy whenever Lupin walks into the room. And Lupin's been smiling alot more and humming to himself, dunno if thats connected."

Harry nodded and returned to gazing over his bookcase. It wasn't a bad set of books. Just a regular bookcase, 7 shelves high, packed with thick books, thin books; tall books, small books; books on things ranging from medicine to muggles to mooncalves. He loved his tiny library...and he had no idea why he decided to think that at that moment.

Ugh, the extremes he went to just to not think about the close proximity between him and Ron.

"Do you think something's going on between them? Like, romantically?"

The brunette considered the question, not really knowing for sure if he should voice his suspicions. "I'm not sure yet, I need to investigate more. It would explain alot though."

"But...Are you sure it could be, _yanno_? They **are** best friends, after all."

"So are we."

The silence made Harry's skin crawl. God, what a stupid thing to say! _Way to go Potter, you just HAD to go off and remind him of the awkward situation you're in._

"Harry..."

The boy's heart began to thud like mad in his chest, blood rushing to his cheeks. He licked his lips nervously, feeling more than hearing Ron step up behind him. His breath puffed gently on the back of his neck and shivers ran down Harry's spine.

He hesitantly turned, startling himself at the closeness of his best friend. The redhead's chest brushed against his, his arm that clutched at a book desperately tickled by Ron's.

"What's this?" Ron murmured softly, his eyes never leaving the brunette's.

Harry moistened his lips, trying to find words. "Sketchpad. For school."

"What for?"_Breathe Potter. Just breathe. In and out. "_ I, um, I've been having trouble in class so I've been keeping a book of drawings of the animals and plants I learn about and labeling the parts related to potionwork...It..it just helps me remember better."

A soft smile lifted Ron's lips. "So what's that? Don't think you're taking a class in THAT, now."

Harry struggled to tear his eyes from his friend's and looked down at the drawing pad, noticing with horror a particular personal drawing that was sticking out from the top. He quickly stuffed it back down, a moment too late. Ron had seen it.

"I saw Dean recently and he gave me some tips and, er, it was just, um, well, you see-"

"It's beautiful."

Harry blushed, hugging the pad closer to his chest. "T-thank you."

"Sure."

Gentle puffs of breath danced across his flushed lips and it was all he could do not to lose himself just then. Closing his eyes, Harry struggled to regain his composure and his wits. It all came to an end when a tentative mouth ever so lightly brushed against his. Harry inhaled, the lips pressed harder; he exhaled and pressed back.

Then the kiss was gone, but Harry wouldn't have cared. The lips were still there, almost but not quite touching his, hot breaths caressing and seducing him in for more.

And god help him if he didn't want it.

"MERRROOOOWW!"

Harry leapt back, his back slamming into the bookcase. After clutching his thrashing heart, he looked over at the staircase and saw Periwinkle perched atop the last one, looking very smug with herself. Giving her a hearty scowl and swearing to put regular milk in her dinner dish from now on, he straightened himself out.

But he wasn't kidding himself. He was grateful for her interruption. Harry didn't want to consider what would've happened had they continued on...Would Ron have touched him? Would he have kissed him all over? Would he have forced his way inside?

Shivering, Harry glanced up to see Ron's eyes somewhere at his feet. Harry blanched, staring in newfound horror at his sketchbook sprawled open inbetween them. He didn't even remember letting go. But there it was. The blasted drawing he never should've drawn lying innocently near Ron's toe.

He quickly gathered up the loose drawings and paused, glancing up at Ron, before snatching the picture of two curiously familiar naked men entwined and stuffing it back in his pad. Fighting back nausea and embarrassment, Harry levitated his stack of books and muttered things about 'getting back to Sirius.'

Ron didn't say a word as they filed into Black Manor and up to Remus' room. Gratifying bickering could be heard as they trudged up the stairs and onto the first floor landing. Harry gave a little smile as he watched Sirius flip up the hood of Snape's cloak, making the Head of House go red in the face.

"Black, you insufferable little maggot!"

"Do humanity a favor and walk off a cliff, Snivellus."

"Why you ungrateful, selfish, egotistical-"

"I am NOT egotistical!"

"I'm sorry. That word is much too big for your puny brain to process. You're a vain bastard. Better?"

"If there weren't witnesses, I'd kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try."

Harry gave an exasperated sigh, and folded his arms. "Would you two stop it already? Remus is trying to get some rest."

"Emphasis on the word '_trying_' " Remus' voice called from behind the opened door.

"Why don't you just try to get along for once?" Harry attempted, already feeling queasy at the thought of Sirius and Snape getting along. That had to be an oxymoron.

"Oh shut up Potter." Snape snapped.

"Don't tell my Godson to shut up!" Sirius barked back.

"I'll tell whoever I want to shut up! Like _you_! Don't speak unless you can improve the silence."

" Alright, thats it. Right here, right now Snivellus."

"...uggghh..." Remus groaned from within his covers.

Harry smirked and turned to walk back down the stairs, Ron at his heels. "I can't imagine what its like for you."

Ron groaned. "It's worse. Usually they go at eachother for a full hour before Lupin snaps and jinxes them both silent."

Harry sniggered and set the books down on a table in the library. "I'm sure there's never a dull moment here."

Ron smiled a bit and stood as Harry hunched over the table, trying to organize the stack of volumes they brought with them.

"I can see your boxers."

Harry turned round sharply, startled. "_Huh?_"

Ron's face turned bright red at the realization of what he said and he made a lame motion at Harry's bottoms. "Your shorts. They're so baggy, I-I can see your boxers."

Harry cringed a bit and tugged the cut-offs back onto his hips, just to have them slip back down despite the presence of a belt. "Uh, yeah, right. I haven't gotten around to doing the laundry..."

They stood in awkward silence, Harry fiddling with the hem of his grey t-shirt.

"They look good like that. I can see your tattoo."

It was Harry's turn to blush. Damn Jimmy for missing his turn to do the laundry! But it was either an old pair of Dudley's pants that were three sizes too big or a pair of bloodied sweats. Course, at the moment, he'd give anything for the sweatpants.

Harry self-consciously rubbed his exposed pelvis and turned back around to return his attentions to the books on the table.

"Sorry. Did I embarrass you? I know you hate compliments."

Harry shrugged a bit then jumped when he felt hot fingers brush the bare skin on the small of his back.

"A tattoo would look good here, too."

The brunette nodded slightly, too distracted by the wonderful feel of Ron's touch.

"Harry... Do you really think Sirius and Remus have a thing for eachother?"

He shrugged again, his brain forgetting how to form words.

"That'd be nice, don't you think? After all they've been through, they deserve to be happy."

Harry smiled a bit." Yeah. Yeah they do."

The two spent the remainder of the night flipping through the books for potions to alleve infection and pain since Snape had locked himself in his room after Sirius hexed his nose large (well, LARGER) and green.

They talked about class and work and the Canons chances at the Quidditch Cup this season and how funny Sirius' hexes on Snape still were. It felt as if they'd never really grown up. They very well could still be sitting in the Gryffindor common room, sharing a box of chocolate frogs and ignoring Hermione's nagging for them to get back to their homework. It was nice...

"You ok, Harry?"

The brunette nodded a bit, his cheek readjusting in his palm. "Yeah."

"You sure? You look like you got alot on your mind."

Harry looked up into Ron's concerned brown eyes and knew trying to pretend right now would be useless.

His life was quickly spiraling out of his hands and he didn't know what the hell to do about it. It was still soon since he had finally ended things with Jimmy and the guilt of it was still fresh. He was barely getting over the shock of being kidnapped and now things with Sirius and Remus were developing, or HAD been developing and he hadn't even realized it. But what had been getting to him more than anything was the matter of him second guessing his career choice.

If he had been wrong about that, jumping into it too quickly without really considering what it entailed, what else could or would he be wrong about?

Being an Auror was something he'd always wanted. But now that he thought about it, he didn't know WHY. Yes, it was expected of him.Yes, he could put his natural Hero abilities to work. Yes, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life, never worrying about money ever again.

But did he want that still? He'd made this decision when he was fifteen, but what had he known then? He'd grown alot over the years and the glories of being an Auror had dimmed since then.

So, if he didn't want to be an Auror, then what else was there?

If he changed his mind about something he'd devoted himself so entirely to, what else would he change his mind about?

Too lost in his thoughts, Harry didn't realize tears were shining in his eyes and threatening to spill. All the frustration, all the hopelessness, all the fear, it came to a head. And Harry wasn't surprised it was because of something Ron said.

A warm arm wrapped round him and Harry laid his head against a soft shoulder. His arm looped round Ron's stomach and he sighed, giving into this brief moment of solace. Why was it he only found peace in Ron?

"Don't worry, Harry. Everything will be alright."

A grateful smile crossed Harry's lips then as his eyes slid shut against the exhaustion of a very trying week. Murmuring his gratitude, Harry and sleep met in the warm embrace of Ron's arms.

---------

Bright rays of sunshine worked their way through the bay windows and flooded Harry with light. Groaning a bit for Jimmy to close the curtains, he opened his eyes groggily and realized he wasn't at home but on a small couch wrapped up in a hot redhead.

Looking up at the face he had grown to cherish deeply, Harry was startled to discover the feelings that ached him someplace inside. Ron looked like an angel, all bathed in morning light. His cinnamon hair hung gently across his forehead and a few strands touched his freckled nose. His full lips were parted and Harry felt every single breath the boy took, as if he were trying to suck in a bit of Harry each time.

He tentatively reached up and brushed aside stray locks of copper, his fingertips lightly grazing his friend's skin.

Harry ripped his hand away and carefully slipped from Ron's arms. As quietly as he could, he dashed out of the library and into the kitchen. Once he was safely inside and hunching over the sink, Harry finally let the shock of what he had just done hit him. That was a stupid thing to do. A VERY stupid thing.

It was just too soon to be considering another person...but even so..._Ron_? RON? Ron Weasley. The boy with too many brothers and a love for wizard's chess. The boy who took him under his wing and became his very first friend.

It was because of that Harry felt he wasn't even an option. If he lost Ron, he didn't know WHAT he'd do...Besides, what's to say he felt the same way? Sure, they shared a few brief kisses, and yes, there was that one time they...they...Even the thought of it, after a whole year, still made Harry's face burn.

Had that night been a fluke? Had Ron done it just to escape his own problems? He never talked about it after their fight...As much as Harry wanted to keep their precious friendship intact, he knew they had to talk about it properly. And soon. If Harry didn't get a straight answer soon, he knew he was going to lose his mind. Those kisses were enough to send him over the edge and coming back for more.

Where on God's green earth did Ron learn to kiss so well?

"Ah, awake already, Harry?"

The brunette turned, watching Remus limp into the kitchen and deposit himself with a big sigh onto the dining table bench. Harry noticed he'd regained some of his color and he looked a bit more aware of his surroundings.

"Yeah. Figured I might as well make myself useful while I'm here. Want some tea?"

"Coffee, if you please, " Remus replied, pulling the blanket draped over his shoulders closer.

Harry smiled and got started on making up a pot of coffee. Once the kettle was sputtering, he set a mug, saucer of creme and sugar infront of the blond. " Think you can handle some eggs and toast?"

Remus smiled gratefully as Harry filled his mug with coffee. "I think so."

Harry started warming up the pan and slid a few pieces of toast into a large wizard toaster. It always boggled him why the kitchen was done up with appliances and a full cupboard. Four bachelors lived here, none of which knew anything about cooking. Well, Remus probably knew enough to get by, but he was always too busy to cook for everybody. Honestly, they needed a bloody maid.

"How's the leg doing?"

The man sipped at his mug, glancing down at his bandaged leg. " Surprisingly better, actually. Those potions of yours worked wonders. Probably better than Snape's."

Harry smiled and placed a plate infront of his friend. "I'm amazed myself. My Healing Arts professor has gotten on my case I don't know how many times. I'm just grateful your leg didn't turn orange and fall off."

Remus laughed. "Me too."

Harry sat down across from the man with his plate of breakfast and a cup of tea. After a few moment of deliberation, he decided to press on with his investigation. "Remus, I was wondering if I could ask you something, but you have to promise not to lie to me."

Remus looked up, taken aback. "Of course Harry. What is it?"

"Yes or no, is there something going on between you and Sirius?"

The tawny-haired man looked stumped at first, then a very faint pink tinged his cheeks. "W-what would make you think there was?"

Harry tilted his head to the side, watching the man's behavior carefully for clues. "Just...things. Rumors. We've all noticed something."

"We?"

"Yes. Me and Ron for starters."

"Well,I...I don't know what to say, Harry."

"Just answer the question then."

Remus stared at his toast as if it would do the talking for him, but since he realized it wasn't about to start blathering, he answered instead. "N-no. No! Of c-course not, Harry."

The boy narrowed his eyes as Remus ate his breakfast in silence. Harry knew the discussion was over, for Remus' part anyway, and anything further would only get him in worse of a place. But from the little Remus divulged in the form of his nervous behavior spoke volumes louder than if he had just said yes.

After breakfast, Harry forced Lupin to go back to bed despite his loud protests and gave Sirius a calming draught. Following a rather amusing incident involving a sedated Sirius and a pink feather boa, Harry headed home, all his books in tow. Unfortunately, he had company this time as well.

"Suppose it was such a good idea to drug Sirius like that?" Ron asked as he shoved Harry's books back into their place on the shelves.

Harry shrugged from his spot on the recliner and swung his legs over the armrest. "He can get mad later, Remus needs some peace and quiet before he transforms tonight. Besides, the potion'll wear off in time for Sirius to change too, so there's no problem."

Ron turned, his mouth scrunched in uncertainty.

Harry smiled, recognizing the look as Ron's way of not agreeing with something just said but being too unsure to say anything about it. "Don't worry, Ron. It'll be fine. Its just as well, anyway. Its not as if I could've gotten anything out of Remus."

"Why don't you ask Jimmy then?" Ron said coming over to stand infront of Harry with his arms folded.

Harry rose a brow. "What for?"

"Well, Remus IS his Godfather."

"...So?"

"Well...Sirius tells you things he doesn't tell Jimmy, doesn't he?"

Harry shrugged. "I s'pose."

"Then wouldn't it make sense that Remus would tell Jimmy stuff he wouldn't tell you?"

Harry pondered the ingenuity of this suggestion and grinned at his best friend. "When did you get so smart?"

"When you weren't looking, " Ron replied with an equally big grin.

A loud slam of the front door jerked Harry from admiring Ron's smile.

"Harry! Alcohol! Lots of it!"

Harry laughed, leapt from his seat and trotted up the den stairs with Ron on his heels. A trail of Jimmy's things such as cloak, shoes, socks, belt and black Ministry vest led from the front door to the kitchen. Peeking his head in through the swinging door, Harry saw his brother gulping down the contents of a small bottle of whiskey.

"Nice trip then?" Ron asked, stepping up behind Harry.

Jimmy glanced over and scowled. "If you think chasing after a fat lump of a human being, trying to make him sound intelligent and look presentable when he's whining for crumpets _nice_, then yes, my trip was fucking beautiful."

Harry smiled sympathetically and walked over to plop himself down onto a stool." So why're you trying to choke yourself with bad whiskey?"

Jimmy sat heavily across from him as Ron prodded through the fridge and placed a plate of California rolls and a bowl of grapes infront of the brunette.

Jimmy moaned gratefully and dug in hungrily. " Oh sweet sweet sushi! Stupid Fudgie didn't let us eat today."

Harry popped a grape in his mouth, " Jimmy, why don't you just quit? There's no WAY Fudge is going to be reelected."

Jimmy chewed down his third roll and took a swig of whiskey to wash it down. "You'd be surprised. People support him cause he brought them through the war. The Reconstruction campaign he initiated makes alot of people feel safe with him."

Ron frowned, " But that was the _Order's_ plan. Dumbledore's the one who gave it to him to begin with."

The boy shrugged, " The public doesn't know that and Fudgepacker's milking it for all its worth."

Harry glowered as he nibbled on another grape. " That's ridiculous. He's totally unqualified. He's nothing more than a blithering buffoon. He's downright dangerous to have in such a powerful position."

"What're you gonna do about it?" Jimmy asked round a mouthful of avocado and rice.

"Well, whoever decides to run against him, I'm giving him my full support." Harry stated firmly.

Jimmy and Ron blinked.

"Are you sure that's smart?" Ron said.

"I couldn't stand to see him in charge of the Ministry for another term ." Harry grumbled.

Jimmy looked flabbergasted, the bottle of whiskey clunking back down onto the table loudly." Do you mean...you're going to go against me?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his elbow. "Not you specifically, but since you worked for him, then yes I suppose."

Ron rose his eyebrows in awe. "Potter for and Potter against, that's gonna tear the wizarding world apart."

"Not necessarily." Jimmy mumbled. At the looks of confusion on Harry and Ron's faces, he cleared his throat and clarified." I'll be the first to admit Fudgie's downright incompetent. He's completely irresponsible and a fucking backwards conservative."

"We already knew that, " Harry said irritably.

"Right, but you don't give him enough credit. He's stayed in office for as long as he has for a reason. He knows how to work people, he knows what to say and how to say it."

Ron leaned his chin in his palm. "He's got a point, Harry."

Harry wasn't so easily convinced. " You didn't see him when we were fourteen, Jim. He outright called me an attention-hungry psycho and ENCOURAGED the public to think the same, all so he didn't have to admit Voldemort was back. He's not worthy of the position of Minister."

Jimmy frowned, idly picking at a sushi roll." I get where you're coming from bro, but the fact of the matter is he has influential people backing him up. The school governors, the Zabinis, the Bulstrodes, not to mention the Malfoys. So lets face it, Fudgie has all of them PLUS Jimmy Potter and Arthur Weasley's youngest kid. He's not going to lose."

Ron gave Harry a wary look. Harry was just fuming.

"I've had up to my neck with enough of his crap. If it hadn't been for him, Voldemort never would've gotten enough of a foothold to break into the Ministry and Sirius never would've..." Harry trailed off, his voice lost in his fury.

Jimmy straightened up and immediately reached over to gently rub Harry's clenched fist. "Ok bro, ok. I get you. He's a worthless bastard...Look, I'll see what I can do to sabotage his campaign. Ok? Would that make you stop looking homicidal?"

Harry relaxed the slightest, noting the ghost of a smile on his twin's mouth. With a roll of his eyes, Harry sighed. "Well, if that's the LEAST you can do, then fine."

Jimmy grinned gratefully and sat back down in his chair. "Ok good. Thought I'd find myself with a pile of ash for a boss tomorrow. That'd be bad."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, feeling oddly satisfied. He never knew he felt so negatively towards Cornelius Fudge. All this revelation stuff was really taking over him. Speaking of which..." Hey Jim--"

"No I can't slip poison into his tea. " Jimmy said flatly, chowing down on the California rolls again.

"I like how your mind works, but no. I was wondering if Remus had mentioned anything to you about Sirius."

Jimmy quirked a brow. "Where do I begin?"

"No. As in, well, _yanno_..." Harry said, not sure how to broach this subject.

Jimmy's other brow went to join the first." '_Yanno'_ ? Are we talking about the same '_yanno'_?"

"I don't know...Are we talking about the same '_yanno'_ ?"

"Well the '_yanno'_ i'm talking about could be the same '_yanno'_ you're talking about, but I can't be sure my '_yanno'_ is the same as your '_yanno'_ . Yanno?"

"My brain hurts." Ron said.

Harry rubbed his temples, feeling the same way. "I only meant was Remus acting strangely when the topic of Sirius came up."

Jimmy gave the question some thought before blurting out plainly. "Nope."

Harry was stumped. "No? No rambling, no inappropriate blushes, no disturbing furtive looks?"

Jimmy shook his head, " No, no and no. Why? Do you think somethings going on between them?"

Harry nodded, reaching over to take a swig of Jimmy's whiskey and grimaced. "Nothing concrete as of yet, just vibes I'm getting from them. Especially Sirius. I can't tell if it just started or its been there all along and I just never noticed."

Jimmy walked over to the fridge and poked through its contents before coming up with a box of leftover pizza." Pfft, you're barking up the wrong tree there my dear. Why don't you just ask them themselves?"

"Tried it, " Harry said. " Sirius changed the subject and Remus nervously denied it."

Jimmy's eyes lit up as he chewed on his pizza. " Did he now? Well. THAT calls for further digging."

Harry looked hopeful. "So, you think he could be lying?"

"Course. Remus can't lie to save his life. Did he get all stuttery and look at your neck?"

Harry nodded.

"Then he was lying."

Ron glanced between them, leaning back casually in his seat. Harry noted he looked quite handsome like this.

"OoOoh! How absolutely delicious! Siri and Remy shagging behind closed doors, " Jimmy chirped, happily taking a bite out of his pizza.

"So you'll help me investigate the truth?" Harry inquired, a little sparkle in his eyes. Jimmy could never resist the sparkle coupled with an authentic Harry Potter hopeful-grin.

"Course! This is too good to pass up. "

Harry did a brief dance of triumph, earning himself a grin from both his brother and Ron.

"We'll go over and make them dinner. Then we can ambush them with questions."

"Thursday would be best. Snape's busy at Hogwarts and all the Order members will be busy with missions except Sirius." Ron helpfully informed.

"Perfect. I'll need a few days to devote to ruining Fudgie's speeches and tour schedules anyway, " Jimmy put in.

"Then it's settled. Until then, both of you try to weasel anything you can out of them. Study their behavior, choice of words, and body language when round the other. " Harry ordered." If they're determined to doll out advice about love, its about time they get it thrown back in their faces."

Jimmy punched the air, a sushi roll dangling drom his mouth. "Amen brother!"

Harry chuckled and glanced at Ron. His eyes had been doing that more often and it was beginning to unnerve him. Shaking his head, he stood up and set to whipping them up a late supper of tacos. After eating and deciding since Black Manor needed to be emptied for Remus' transformation and he still wasn't on friendly enough terms with his family members, Ron could stay the night, Jimmy finished his bottle of crappy whiskey and headed off to bed. Harry went upstairs and made up the guest bedroom as best he could, given the fact that Ron insisted on undressing right behind him the whole time.

Finishing that, Ron sat down on the bed and gave Harry a questioning look. "You going to bed now?"

Harry shrugged, leaning against the spare wardrobe. " I probably should I guess...loads to do tomorrow and all that."

Ron nodded a bit, idly playing with the knees of Jimmy's loaned pajama pants."Oh."

Harry chewed on his lip, awkwardly shifting his weight. He knew he didn't want to go to bed yet, he was hardly tired, but would it be appropriate to waste time with Ron? They used to all the time at Hogwarts.

Oh this was silly. Ron was his best friend, he was entitled to spend time with him without worrying about crossed boundries. "Hey Ron, wanna hang out in my room?"

Ron's face lit up, " Sure!"

Harry grinned and ushered them into his room where they spent much of the night goofing off, watching movies and annoying the piss out of Jimmy who kept coming in, his hair sticking up like he'd just been electricuted, and growling for them to shut the hell up and go to sleep.

Somewhere round one in the morning Ron decided he was much too tired to enjoy anymore Simpsons and headed off to bed, albeit reluctantly.

Harry sat up in his large bed, staring into the dark hallway that separated him and Ron and sighed. All that messing around let him forget what his situation unfortunately was regarding his best friend.

Even now he didn't want to think about it, but the dim bedroom loomed round him and the sounds of dying laughter echoed off the walls. He couldn't deal with this right now. Not with Ron so close by.

Harry got up, grabbed a towel and headed off to take a cold shower. After that failed to cool him off, he plodded quietly past the guest room and paused in the doorway. He could see the faint outline of Ron's form curled up under the sheets but Harry couldn't bring himself to go inside, so he trekked back to his own room and locked the door.

The cool wood pressed against his bare back, Harry stood still for a few moments, trying to collect both himself and his thoughts. This wasn't good. Not one bit. He couldn't even function properly with his redheaded friend sleeping over. There had to be something wrong with him. There just had to be.

Harry looked up and startled himself by the relfection in his full-length mirror. Even if it was just himself, it had been a shock. He'd just never get used to seeing himself with anything less than a full Auror's uniform and a heavy cloak. Even with the Wicked Witch Weekly article still haunting him, Harry had a very hard time being naked. Maybe it was because he associated naked with being pressed up against his brother twice and the one smoldering time with Ron.

Harry blushed from his forehead to his toes at what the memory did to his body. His hands gripped the towel wrapped round his waist tightly as he tried to calm down. Ok, this was getting him nowhere. He just HAD to figure some things out for himself before he decided to do anything for Sirius and Remus.

Maybe if he atleast figured out whether he was really attracted to Ron and wanted him versus just being swept up in a moment of physical pleasure, he could decide where to go from there.

With a big inhale, Harry knew exactly how to find out what he needed to. It could either show him point blank what he wanted or make him even more miserable...But anything was better than living like a hyped up chihuahua.

His fingers hesitated above his towel before pushing it off, feeling it pool round his feet. He stepped over it and walked over to his bed, crawling ontop of the thick downy comforter and sprawling out on his back. Sucking in another breath, Harry laid his hand atop his flat stomach and closed his eyes. _This is it, Potter. No holding back this time. Just...let go..._

Harry sighed softly as his hands began to roam over his body, exploring every inch of his freshly washed skin until he was arching into each movement. Touches ran down his sides and over his thighs, up his neck and threaded through his damp hair. Hands that knew these parts, knew what to do to bring about sighs and moans.

A freckled hand finally wrapped round his length and Harry bucked into it with a gasp. The hand started to slide up and down agonizingly slow a first, gradually picking up speed as Harry whimpered his approval. A warm, wet tongue swirled teasing circles round his bellybutton and up his chest. Harry tilted his head back as soft lips kissed up and down his throat, feeling a hardness digging insistently into his thigh. His hands wove through thick copper hair and he hissed as that sinful mouth found the tip of his arousal and began to suck.

Harry arched his back, tugging gently at the locks for more. His hips started to roll of their own accord and full lips glided down to take half of him in. Then both lips and hand began to suck and tug at him in such rythym, Harry was writhing and whimpering in a sea of beautiful oblivion.

Moments later, his hands gripped cinnamon hair tightly, his teeth gritted, his hips bucked, and he came gasping only one word.

"Ron!"

Green eyes slowly slid open to stare at the dark canopy of a bed that held one occupant.

Harry dropped his hands from himself and blinked furiously to keep his tears at bay... So that was that. No more denying it.

He wanted his best friend.

Harry muttered a spell to clean himself off and covered his face with his shaky hands. No. No this just couldn't be. He couldn'twant Ron. It just wasn't possible...He had been inlove with Hermione, then Cienna, nowhere in there had there been any Ron. Or _any_ boy for that matter. Oh why had he told WWW he was bi? WHY! All those love letters from wizards all over the world had got him thinking far too much and-

Oh who was he kidding? That fantasy was testament enough that all the excuses he fed himself were bullshit. He was only fooling himself.

But now that he knew he saw Ron as more than a friend, what now? He wasn't about to go chasing after him, he still cherished the redhead far too much to ruin their friendship just because Harry found him shaggable.

Cause thats what it was, right? Harry just wanted a shag. It made sense. He hadn't had any form of human contact since Cienna died. He shagged Ron to fill that void in his heart. And ever since he'd begun to crave for that contact, that completion, that silence to the constant screaming in his head.

Oh God what had he become? When had it gotten so bad he couldn't even feel normal emotions? He had to use people...Ron...Jimmy... Harry sat up and dug his hands into his hair, hot tears breaking free and streaming down his face.

He was a horrible person for doing this to them. And if anyone ever found out about what he and Ron did, the redhead would be drowned in the media frenzy, the Weasleys would ban Harry from their family and Ron would never forgive him.

Harry pushed himself off his bed and pulled on his baggy cut-offs before digging through his dresser drawers. Finally finding what he sought, his hands pulled from a pile of socks a glimmering dagger.

It had been the only thing he had considered from the Golden Boy catalogue; an exact replica of the knife he had used to kill Voldemort.

The cool metal softly aligned with his wrist and Harry pressed. He gasped as the pain shot up his arm and the gentle pitter patter of blood plopped like raindrops on the carpet.

A sharp gust of wind blew up his spine and the dagger fell to the floor with a clatter. Harry clutched his wrist to his chest and exhaled shakily as he sank to the carpet. What had he done? What was he thinking? After all the fighting, all the struggles of his life, he wanted to end it now?

Tears stung his eyes as he looked around frantically for his wand. Without his glasses, however, he couldn't see a thing except the deep red running down his arm. With his good hand, Harry pulled out a junky pair of socks and wiped himself off then wrapped the clean sock round his wrist.

Sitting back on his heels with a loud sigh, Harry looked round him. The room was still dark and there was still a pain lacerating his heart. He couldn't do this alone anymore.

So, standing up shakily, Harry walked out of his room and straight into the guest room. He paused by the doorway, not sure he was making the right choice. It was too late, however, when a gentle rustle of bedclothes alerted him to a certain redhead's arousal.

"Harry?" Ron asked, his voice thick with sleep"...Harry what-?"

"Can...can you sleep with me tonight?" The brunette hugged his wound to his chest again, fresh tears welling in his green eyes.

Ron sat up, his bare chest glowing in the moonlight and cinnamon hair sweeping into his dark eyes. " What's wrong?"

"I can't be alone right now."

Ron stared at him for a few moments before he kicked off the sheets and walked over to Harry. He swept the brunette into his arms and mumbled into his hair. "C'mon, mate. Let's get you to bed."

Harry was led back into his room and straight into bed. A warm body dipped the mattress and strong arms embraced him from behind. Ron held him tightly and didn't mention the red-stained sock wrapped round his wrist.

Harry rolled over and buried his face into his best friend's neck, his hands pressed flat against the redhead's chest.

Ron kissed his forehead, just above his scar, and hugged him." Don't worry about anything, Harry. I'll stay up all night and protect you."

A choked sob escaped him and as the steady beat of Ron's heart brought about an ache inside him, Harry let go, if only for this one time.

Tears spilled down his pale cheeks and murmured words soothed away every bit of turmoil he had been putting himself through. _Just this one time_, he told himself repeatedly. _Just this once_.

-----------

Harry didn't see hide nor hair of Jimmy or Ron until thursday afternoon while he was working out in the Ministry gym. The only drawback to being forced to workout to kill time was the fact that the small gym adjoined with the locker rooms...and _that_ memory was only too fresh in his mind.

Harry sighed and went back to his push-ups, growling when he realized he'd lost count. It was a wonder he got anything done properly with all the spacing-out he did. So he started over, yet again, and was up to a painful 52 when the gym doors opened, closed and suddenly his ass was slapped. Hard.

Harry dropped to his stomach with a yelp and looked up sharply.

"You sounded like you were shagging. All ' uh uh UH _UH _**UH**! AHH!' "

Harry scowled at his twin who was setting down a towel and plopping onto a bench. "Thank you for alerting me. I'll try to be quieter next time."

Jimmy smirked and took a gulp from Harry's sports bottle. " Sure. As if you could."

Harry leaned his cheek into his palm, looking cross." What's that supposed to mean?"

The boy leaned back, looking far too comfortable in his annoying arrogance." You're a screamer."

Harry blushed and scratched his sweaty neck looking up at the ceiling.

"Ha ha! If you could see your face now. So classic. Anyways, I heard you were down here shagging the mats-"

"Jimmy."

"Ok fine. Shacklebolt told me you were here since he had nothing for you to do for your thursday hours. Why is that anyway? Weren't you busy as a bee just the other day?"

Harry yawned a bit, feeling his workout hit him." Yeah, but I finished with the last assignment early and everyone's getting ready for that stupid ball."

Jimmy oooh'd and leaned back on his palms." About that, did you learn the dance?"

"Yeah. Cienna can be very, er..."

"Psychotic?" Jimmy offered.

"I was going to say determined, but psychotic's good, too."

"Who's psychotic?"

Harry looked over and was surprised to see Ron strutting in the door, a towel thrown over his shoulder.

"OK, whats with the towels?" Harry asked.

"We're working out, aren't we?" Ron replied simply.

Harry arched a brow." _I _am, but the both of you are in full uniform..."

Jimmy looked scandalized."You think I'm gonna work up a sweat in the middle of the day and chance ruining my hair?"

Harry stared for a bit." It's amazing you were straight at any point in your life."

"Isn't it?" Jimmy said, tilting his head. "Anyways, on with business--Harry, put on a shirt, its very distracting."

Harry blinked as he sat up, pausing with confusion. Then he remembered he had on only a pair of athletic shorts. Blushing, he reached over to his pile of things and pulled on a wifebeater. "Sorry."

"S'ok. Now, why I had us all meet up is I wanna go over the details of the Ambush Dinner tonight." Jimmy said, leaning forward on his knees.

"I got everyone out of the house for the night so there won't be any interruptions, but I'll man the entrances just incase. Oh, and Lupin's been feeling much better thanks to Harry's potions." Ron said, smiling at his friend.

Harry dabbed his face and neck with his towel and smiled sheepishly."It wasn't me. He just doesn't injure himself as much anymore thanks to that Wolfsbane potion."

"Either way, he's well enough to weather interrogation and hopefully some snogging," Jimmy put in, and dug a piece of parchment out of his pocket. " I took the liberty of finding a charming little indian place that has fabulous curry and right next door is a chinese joint that makes great meatpuffs."

"Sirius loves those, " Harry chimed in.

"Exactly. " Jimmy said, waving the receipt a bit." With his favorite foods infront of him, he won't suspect an attack."

Harry frowned slightly. " Well, I wouldn't call it an attack, per say."

Jimmy blinked. " Well what WOULD you call it?"

Thinking this over a bit, Harry shrugged." Loving intervention?"

"That's great, " Ron chuckled.

"Ok, fine, he won't suspect a 'loving intervention'. So, you two get to Black Manor after work and casually tell them we're having dinner together since everyone's gone. I'll come by round 7 with the takeout when Ron says he's not feeling well and excuses himself to guard the fireplace."

Harry nodded, as did Ron.

"Great. Now I gotta get going." Jimmy said, getting to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Harry inquired, flipping onto his side.

Jimmy smiled mysteriously," Gotta see a man about a dragon."

Harry and Ron looked at eachother in confusion as Jimmy smirked at them and left.

"Acting a bit odd lately, hasn't he?" Ron said, staring at the doors.

"Yeah. But then again, he's ALWAYS been odd." Harry pushed himself to his feet and gathered his things.

"True...Well, I better get going, too. Punickle's probably sent a search party for me. Honestly, get lost ONCE and they never let you live it down." Harry chuckled and draped the towel round his neck. "When do you have to get back to work?"

Giving a sigh, Harry regarded his watch. " I have another hour before I get to leave for the day."

"Well you sound downright thrilled, " Ron kidded, propping his elbows on his knees.

"That's cause I'm not, " Harry said flatly. Seeing the look of puzzlement on the redhead's face, Harry figured it was time enough for his decisions to take verbal form." I've been doing alot of thinking lately. The life-altering sort. And I've come to the conclusion that after the ball, I'm...I'm quitting the Auror Academy."

Ron's face fell.

Harry gave a nervous little laugh and rubbed his hands together." I guess we'll have to meet up somewhere other than the Ministry, eh?"

"But...what...Harry, WHY? You've wanted to be an Auror ever since I could remember."

"Only because it seemed the only way I _could_ go. I thought being an Auror would increase my chances at defeating Voldemort, but seeing as thats already done and over with, becoming an Auror just doesn't fit anymore." Harry raked his sweaty hair back." I want to change, Ron. I don't want to be that Harry Potter anymore. I just want something thats just for ME, not everyone else."

Ron stared at him with a soft eye and nodded." I understand."

The brunette smiled gratefully." Don't tell anyone, ok? I don't want the media catching wind of it before I have a chance to barricade myself inside Potter Asylum."

Ron nodded, " You have my full support, Harry. And you know, until you figure out what you want to do, I'm sure Fred and George could use some help at their shop."

Harry smiled some more, imagining life working at a joke shop. Certainly different than saving lives and de-jinxing hate mail everyday. "Thanks, Ron." The redhead nodded again and headed for the door. "Hey, by the way--do you have a date for the Halloween Ball?"

Ron paused by the door, turning sideways with a curious frown." No, why?"

Harry tucked his hands behind his back and tried to steady his nerves. _Now or never, Potter._ " Wanna go with me?"

Ron looked as if somebody had dropped a flobberworm down his pants and the expression made Harry laugh a little. He was shocked himself. As much of a courageous Gryffindor he was, Harry never thought he would ever outright ask Ron Weasley out. But it was time for a new Harry and what better way to start that then by pursuing the crush he was quickly developing on his best friend.

Ron's grin soon filled his face and his ears pinked. " S-sure."

Harry returned the smile and released a relieved breath." Great. I'll come by at 6 to get you."

Ron blushed with a nod then turned to slip out the door leaving Harry to his dizzy thoughts. Wow. He'd just asked out Ron and Ron said sure...Wait...He said sure? **He said sure!**

Harry grinned stupidly to the empty room and felt quite satisfied with himself. So this was what Jimmy felt like all day long. It was a nice feeling.

------------------

Harry dashed up the stairs, depositing his cloak on the banister as he went. He pulled off his maroon robe and smoothed down his black long-sleeved shirt then threw himself against the hallway wall just as the door to Remus'room opened. He grinned sweetly and hopped over to the blond and his Godfather. "Hey there you two."

Sirius blinked, taken aback. " Harry, what're you doing here? I thought you had a late class on thursdays."

Harry smiled and walked alongside them back down the staircase. " Got out early and I had this fantastic idea. Since I knew you two were gonna be all by your lonesome, and neither of you is capable of cooking beyond boiling water, I thought we could have dinner together."

The two men exchanged a look then Remus turned back to him with a big grin. "That sounds wonderful, Harry. How thoughtful of you."

"You big softie, Harry. " Sirius teased, smirking.

Harry rolled his eyes and bounced down the hallway into the kitchen where Ron was currently tidying up. " Oh Ron! We were gonna have some takeout. Wanna join us?"

Ron looked up, feigning surprise. " I could always do with some food. What're you getting?"

Harry gathered some plates and forks, setting them down onto the table."Oh, well Jimmy's bringing some balti curry and meatpuffs and I got a chocolate meringue pie from your mum." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the two Marauders start to drool.

"Ooh, sounds great. I'll go grab some butterbeer from the cellar then, shall I?" Ron said and whisked out the door, giving Harry a secret smirk.

The brunette turned and clapped his hands. " Well, go ahead and sit down, Jimmy should be back any minute."

The pair nodded and sat down on the bench, luckily side by side. Perfect. Harry poured them each a goblet of wine and plopped down across from them. He gave them a little once over, noting the proximity to which they sat next to eachother and the tiny glances Sirius kept stealing in Remus' direction. _MmHMM. Yeah, nothing going on there, eh Siri?_

Soon, Ron came traisping back in, his arms laden with a crate of butterbeer, and Jimmy in tow. The Potter held up four plastic bags and grinned. "Curry anyone?"

Sirius licked his lips and moaned, "Oh that smells AMAZING. Does it have meat in it?"

Jimmy spread out the sytrofoam canisters of food across the table, the thick aroma of curry, bread and spices making them all dizzy. "Beef and chicken, actually."

Sirius gave another moan and Harry distinctlysaw Remus' cheeks pink.

"Well, dig in people." Jimmy commanded and seated himself next to Harry.

Sirius leapt immediately at the food, biting savagely into a meatbun with a doggish groan. "Oooh! Heaven!"

Harry chuckled as Jimmy gave Ron a meaningful look.

"Ohh...oh my head hurts." Ron said, pressing a hand to his temple.

Remus looked up with concern, " You ok, Ron?"

"You seemed just fine a moment ago," Sirius commented round a mouthful of beef and roll.

"I was working on a potion today. I think its just the fumes still affecting me. I'll just have a little lie down," Ron rose from the bench and walked to the door.

"We'll save you some food! " Harry called out to him. Ron smiled, knowing he already had three cartons of food and a pie waiting for him in the sitting room.

" Not making any promises, though. This stuff is delicious, " Sirius said, taking a large gulp of wine.

Ron chuckled and left. Harry and Jimmy turned gazes to their Godfathers who were obliviously eating happily. They waited until the pair had eaten their way through five of the ten cartons on the table and half of the pie.

Harry slid a bit of pie into his mouth, shooting Jimmy a significant look.

"Sooo...did you catch that recent article about Harry in Witch Weekly?"

Harry scowled at him. He knew they agreed to leave the interrogating to Jimmy, but was it necessary to bring about the subject of secret romances by reminding everyone of the horrible articles that plagued him ever since that September interview?

Sirius snorted into his cup and nodded, " Oh yes. He was caught saying, and I quote 'Sex? What is that? Does it involve saving people?'. I have it taped in my Harry scrapbook."

"You have a scrapbook of me?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Course. Its amusing looking through all the articles they run on you. They've progressed from child prodigy to spoiled brat to demented youth to two-timing manwhore to the most recent, and my personal favorite, angsty gay porn star."

Harry blanched as the three burst out laughing. " That's not funny! I am NOT a porn star!"

"But you ARE gay. Atleast, 50 percent. " Jimmy pointed out. The brothers paused and watched for their Godfathers' reactions.

"True. So there you have it, there's hope for you yet, Harry. A career in gay porn is right round the corner." Sirius said, tucking into a fourth slice of pie.

Harry cocked his head, genuinely surprised. " You think its ok me being bi?"

Sirius shrugged, " Sure. Why would it be bad?"

Looking for the right words to this startling turn of events, Harry stuttered." W-well, most people think its strange."

"Well, they can lick the Hippogriff dung from your boots. Nothing wrong with loving whoever you want." Sirius said vehemently.

Remus nodded in agreement." It shouldn't matter who you choose to love, Harry. Love is love, no matter the gender."

"Though I'd like to see you decide on one or the other. Indecision is the path to the devil, " Sirius said off-handedly, licking creme from his lips.

The twins smiled conspiringly to eachother. "So you're ok with homosexuality?" Jimmy inquired with innocent intrigue.

"W-well, " Remus blushed." Be a bit hypocritical of me to say otherwise."

And it just got juicier. " Why's that?" Harry asked.

The looks of discomfort on Remus and Sirius' faces told the brothers they had tredded onto the right nerve.

"Er, you see, um...w-well..." The blond's amber eyes floated down to his plate." Oh, its n-nothing. N-nevermind."

"No, tell us." Jimmy insisted. Remus looked to Sirius for help, who's eyes were glued to his pie.

"I-I don't think its appropriate." Remus replied finally.

"Oh come on. We're all men here. What could you possibly have to tell us that would upset us?" Jimmy said, a smile on his face." Its not like you sexed our Dad or anything."

A pin drop could be heard in the sudden silence that engulfed the kitchen. Jimmy looked pleasantly stunned, Remus looked horrified, Sirius merely winced and kept quiet.

Harry shook his head, closing his eyes briefly. " Wait wait wait...Are you saying..."

The blond's face lost most of its color as his hands curled in his lap." Y-yes...your father...me..." He paused to take a big breath in and blurted out. " James and I were mates."

Harry blinked and Jimmy leaned back, folding his arms in astonishment.

Sirius sighed heavily, setting down his fork. "It was supposed to be kept a secret from you boys."

"Why?" Harry demanded a bit harsher than he intended.

"Because. We didn't know how you two would react to it." Sirius replied, looking more somber than Harry had ever seen him.

Now Harry's temper was wriggling its way back to the surface and he was doing his damnest to keep it in check. But of all his pet peeves about his guardians, it was the fact that they ALWAYS kept things from him. Harry gave the two men stern looks." I can't believe you..._YOU_. Of ALL people..."

Remus hung his head in shame, his voice small." I understand if you never want to speak to me again..."

"Oh please!" Harry exclaimed. Remus looked up in shock and Sirius' eyes were beginning to harden." I trusted you two. More than anyone else, and you went and betrayed that trust."

A glimmer started in amber eyes as grey narrowed.

"After everyone else had lied to me all my life, kept secrets ' for my own good', its digusting that you two would think that that'd be ok. I don't care WHAT you did in your past, I want the right to know." Harry folded his arms, thoroughly upset.

Remus blinked a few times, stunned tears trickling down his cheeks as Sirius' gaze softened bit by bit.

"We're sorry, Harry, " the blond whispered.

"Yeah..." Sirius mumbled, rubbing his neck.

"Now, tell me the whole story." Harry demanded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jimmy staring at him in awe. Hey, someone had to be the one to ask." From the both of you."

"Well..." Remus hesitated then circled the lip of his goblet with a fingertip." I met your dad my first year and found out he was my mate right away. We started dating third year till seventh."

"What happened?" Jimmy chimed in.

"He wanted kids," The blond replied simply, albeit sadly.

The brothers nodded knowingly and didn't need the rest filled in. They were living proof of James' decision.

"So he broke up with me night of the Graduation party and told me he had been seeing Lily Evans on the side for a few months by then...and that she was pregnant." Remus' voice waivered a bit, but he seemed determined to get the story out. "I ...I lost my head...I found Sirius and he comforted me and we..."

Harry's brow quirked eagerly, " And you..._what_?"

Sirius cleared his throat, his hands cupped on the tabletop."We slept together."

Jimmy gave a low whistle and Harry felt floored.

Remus shook his head," I felt so ashamed, even though I was technically single again, that I took off right after and didn't see either of them until you two were baptized. James named me a Godfather and I don't think he ever fully understood how much that meant to me."

"Then a couple days later, I ran into Snivellus in Diagon Alley and overheard him talking to a pair of Slytherins about how him shagging James was the reason he broke up with Remus," Sirius said and sneered."Hated him with irreversible passionever since. Just thought I'd put that in."

"Didn't you already hate him?" Harry asked.

"So?" Sirius said flatly.

Harry rose a brow." What about you then?"

Sirius blinked." What about me?"

"Did you like my dad too?"

Sirius' cheeks pinked a bit as he nervously scratched his cheek. "Well, he WAS a gorgeous chap, heh heh."

Jimmy sat back, arms folded, "Wow...my dad was a pimp."

The two Marauders blushed furiously and Harry had images romping through his mind that he knew would take years of therapy to erase. "Right... well, I've kinda noticed you two haven't dated anyone since then."

They shifted a bit, looking uncomfortable once more.

"I guess after losing James, I never really wanted to date again, "Remus said.

"I was locked up in prison, so I have an excuse." Sirius answered promptly. Harry snorted, glad his Godfather could joke even at a time like this.

"So whats your excuse NOW?" Jimmy interrupted.

Sirius looked stumped for awhile, as if this thought either never crossed his mind, or DID cross his mind, but never assumed it'd cross someone else's. "I...well...um..."

"Cause you're infatuated with Remus, aren't you?" Jimmy went on, a triumphant smile on his face. The raven-haired man stammered for words, but Harry knew he was a goner. Once that look was in Jim's eyes, it was all over."Ever since the party, he's been on your mind. He became your only thought, the only person you wanted. After Azkaban, he was the one who was still around, making you care for him more. You grew to cherish him more each day, but knew someone would notice eventually, so you started to devote yourself entirely to restoring the manor and taking care of Harry."

Sirius stuttered, his blond companion growing pinker by the second. Harry just rested his chin in his palm and watched it all unfold, thinking to himself thatJimmy should've been an attorney.

"The promise you made to my dad was always on your mind." Sirius' eyes grew large. Jimmy merely grinned." As soon as he made you keep that promise, you felt ashamed for feeling for your best friend's ex-mate the way you did. You felt as if it betrayed him somehow. So you kept it all a secret. Because how would you explain the fervor and blind devotion with which you protected Remus all these years, without disclosing your own deep secret? ; that you are, and always have been, deeply inlove with Remus Lupin."

Harry switched his gaze to Sirius' face and noticed with amusment that it was bright red. His mouth kept gaping like a fish and his eyes darted back and forth across the kitchen, as if looking for a prompter who had his lines.

Suddenly, Remus hauled Sirius up by the collar and dragged him right out the door. Harry and Jimmy gave eachother looks before tripping over themselves to scramble after.

Tailing them to the backdoor, each brother took a spot on either side of the screen and peered cautiously through it to see the two men heading straight into the garden.

Harry hesitated. " But should we really? I mean, its an invasion of privacy, and after all we've done, we owe them atleast this."

"Plot point, Harry. " Jimmy slipped through the screen and scampered across the lawn, his twin at his heels.

The two boys came to a stop just on the other side of a tall hedge, heated voices coming from round the corner.

"...said true? Sirius? Look at me!"

"What do you want me to say, Remus?"

"The truth!"

"Fine! You want the truth!"

"Thats why I asked!"

"I love you Remus! Merlin! How long was it going to take you to notice me? All my looks, all my care, all my attention! I stuck around for YOU, Remus! I didn't go insane in Azkaban because I knew if I could just tell you my side of the story, you'd believe me and I could maybe then tell you how I felt!"

"...Sirius..."

"Don't, ok? I don't need that 'oh Sirius, you simpering fool' look."

"I wasn't...I didn't mean..."

"You don't have to feel the same way back but...could you maybe...? Argh, you know what? Forget it. Nevermind."

"No. What could I maybe do?"

"What do you think? Could you maybe look beyond your past and see...well, see ME? James wasn't the only one who loved you."

"But...its different, Sirius-"

"I never said I wanted to replace him. I told you before, just make a new place in your heart."

"And you...you said that with yourself in mind, did you?"

"Well, I, er...sorta. Its good advice either way."

Harry bit his lip, his hands curled so tightly into fists his nails were piercing his palms. Jimmy was silently waving invisible flags in the air, rooting the pair on.

"What do we do now?"

"I..I don't know."

"Well, didn't you just say you wanted to tell me for awhile?"

"Er, yes..but I never reckoned I'd get this far."

"Oh Sirius."

"Shut up. I know I'm hopeless."

A gentle laugh." But thats why I love you."

"You..."

"Yes...you're not the only one who fell inlove that night."

Jimmy gripped Harry's arm, the both of them making 'awww!' faces.

"R-remus...?"

"Yes, Sirius?"

"I...would...we...mrrgh..."

"Oh honestly Sirius! Just ask me to the ball already, this is getting embarrassing."

"Heh. Would you go with me to the Ministry's Ball, Moony?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Padfoot."

Harry squealed and was quickly echoed by Jimmy when wet noises floated over to their side of the hedge.

"Two more years of therapy." Harry grumbled, ushering his younger brother back across the lawn.

"Yeah, " Jimmy said dreamily." But isn't it worth it?"

------------

Harry nervously clasped on his waist-length black cape and adjusted the long chain before regarding himself in his full-length mirror. Hmm, not too shabby. Though all Aurors had the same dress robes, which Harry was grateful for, he still had to admit he looked, well...pretty damn good.

His robes had been tailored specifically for him, which allowed for the snug black slacks and the silk black vest that fitted his torso so nicely he was almost fooled into thinking he had quite an effeminate figure. Fortunately Jimmy had talked him out of using one of his old school shirts and instead opted for a nicer, though more expensive, fitted white dress shirt. The cuffs were big and were hemmed up to his forearm, but they looked good that way. Now for the finishing touch.

Harry pulled his wand from his vest pocket and placed a plain black eye-mask in place of his glasses (since he opted to wear contacts for tonight). Muttering a spell, the mask affixed to his face perfectly and began to morph into a more personalized form. The ends slowly curled downwards, spiraling once before ending right below Harry's temple with a small glistening, ebony jewel. He smiled and looked himself over one more time before heading out the bedroom door and downstairs.

Jimmy was perched on their couch's armrest, lazily munching on pretzels. Since he was apart of the Minister's personal staff, he had been forced to done purple robes, Fudge's favorite color. Purple velvet cloak, purple vest, and dark violet slacks. Only thing NOT purple, luckily, was his shirt which was a fetching black. And of course his boots. Jimmy never went anywhere without his boots.

"Even when looking like an episode of 'When Good Animals Go Bad' , you look smashing." Harry said, adjusting his cuffs.

Jimmy smiled gratefully and tossed his cloak over his shoulder." That's sweet, but I still say we're all going to look like Barney. Atleast Ginny got to wear a gown. Now if ONLY Fudge-brownie had said I could wear a gown too, then there'd be cause for excitement."

Harry rolled his eyes with a smile and walked over to the fireplace."Ready?"

"You go ahead, I'll meet up with you four there."

"Why?"

Jimmy smirked."Gotta pick up my own date."

Harry arched a curious brow, but he knew he wouldn't get any answers for now. So, he threw in some floo and whisked away to Black Manor. Just as he was dusting himself off, Harry began to get god awful tremors throughout his body. His palms got sweaty and his stomach was doing some mad things. Taking a few deep breaths in hopes of calming his nerves, the brunette walked out of the sitting room and headed to the staircase.

There he met up with Sirius, who was looking quite strapping in dark blue dress robes.

"Ah Harry, good. Ron's driving us all nuts with his meticulousness." Sirius commented as he tucked his wand away into his cloak pocket. "My my, you do clean up nicely, don't you?

Harry blushed and shrugged, self-consciously tugging at the flaps of his dress shirt that were sticking out from beneath his vest.

Sirius tapped his chin thoughtfully, obviously not done embarrassing Harry."Makes me think I should've asked-"

"If Remus wanted some flowers?"

Sirius turned with a sheepish grin as Remus trotted down the stairs, looking twenty years younger in his pale yellow dress robes. "I was about to say that."

Remus nodded skeptically before turning to Harry with a smile." Why Harry, you keep getting handsomer every time I see you."

"Ok enough with the compliments! I'm blushing enough as it is!" Harry complained.

"But its just so cute!" Sirius said, pinching the boy's flushed cheeks.

"Siri!"

"Oh leave him alone, Sirius. He's nervous enough without you egging him on." Remus reprimanded and headed into the sitting room.

Harry folded his arms, scowling at his Godfather who then nudged him, smirking widely." Better wipe that look off your face, here comes your date."

Harry whipped his head around and felt his jaw hit the ground. Ron descended the steps carefully, as if he weren't sure if he was supposed to show himself yet. Harry was glad he did.

Ron was gold from head to toe. Not tacky gold, but a soft, glowing gold that warmed Harry to the core. His thigh-length cape spilled down his back as he walked. His fitted slacks were not gold, however, but a tannish sort of yellow. But they were tight, so who cared? His beige shirt hugged his biceps and torso where the gold vest didn't cover. But it was his eye-mask that made the outfit. It was also gold and it didn't seem to stop at his face. The ends panned out past his ears where three detailed wings took form, the top encrusted with a tiny emerald jewel. All in all, Harry was left breathless.

Sort of ironic really, that Unspeakables were required to wear gold whereas Aurors wore black. It was as if the universe were flipped upside down, and it might as well have been, cause thats how Harry felt at the moment.

Ron stopped infront of him, his hands clasped together nervously." Um, hey."

Harry nodded mutely, his voice taking a vacation in Ron-Is-Gorgeous Ville.

"You-you look great." Ron attempted, uncertainly flicking back his windswept copper locks.

The brunette licked his lips, managing out a simple. "You too."

_FLASH_

Harry jumped and turned with surprise to see Sirius holding a camera and cooing."They're just so cute!"

"Sirius get in here!"

"One more Remus. _Please?_ I want to remember Harry's first date when I'm old and grey and rotting in a rocking chair."

"Which will be alot sooner if you don't get in here this instant."

Harry sniggered as the raven-haired man retreated back into the sitting room, his tail between his legs.

"Got him on a short leash, doesn't he?" Ron commented, a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but its about time SOMEONE did," Harry answered.

The two boys caught gazes and remembered their awkward situation. Harry gave a silent sigh and reached forward to take Ron's hand. A shiver ran up his spine and he knew he wanted to feel his slender hand in Ron's larger one again and again.

The redhead blushed but grinned broadly as Harry led him over to the fireplace where Remus was berating his new lover.

"You're going to be good tonight, do you hear me? Cause if I hear tomorrow that you went off to embarrass these two even ONCE, thats it for you mister." Remus scolded, wagging his finger.

"You'll get the rolled up newspaper, " Harry snickered.

Sirius sent him a glare and earned himself a whap upside the head from his blond love. Harry ducked casually behind Ron's shoulder to laugh quietly.

"Now, who's got the invitation? I forgot the exact name of the place hosting the ball this year, " The blond man said, sportingly ignoring Harry's giggles. Ron handed him his card and Remus tutted as he read it over. " Should of known."

"What?" Harry inquired, finally over his fit, though Sirius' pouty attitude was threatening to send him over once more.

"Its at Malfoy Chateau."

Harry rose his brows in pleasant surprise." Draco's hosting it?"

"Pfft, I wish, " Ron grumbled.

"No, his grandfather on his father's side." Remus answered.

"I hate the guy. Bloody evil old bastard is what he is." Sirius grumbled. Remus petted the man's hair sympathetically.

"Well, no use stalling. Lets just get there and hope Malfoy Senior Senior is senile enough to be pleasant, " Harry said, and with that, the four flooed to Malfoy Chateau.

They came out in an elaborate foyer adorned with large white candles,sparkling chandilers and gold-framed portraits. A house elf scurried up to them and took their cloaks, then another elf guided them to the crowd waiting at the entrance to two tall double doors.

Harry handed his invitation to the man in charge and signed the guestbook then slipped his arm into Ron's as everyone filed inside in pairs. The redhead blushed to his ears but rested his hand on Harry's nonetheless.

They crossed out of the entrance hall into a huge ballroom. It was the most magnificent room Harry had ever seen. There were gold candles floating all over their heads, sending beautiful shadows onto the painted concave ceiling. All down two sides of the room, were narrow windows that almost touched the ceiling, their sheer beige curtains blowing in the cool October night wind and delicate French doors opening onto balconies that overlooked Malfoy Chateau's vast orchards. Even theIrish countryside in Fall was lovely.

Tucked in a corner opposite the balconies was a levitating stage adorned with gold and silver curtains, upon which was a considerable-sized orchestra already playing rich tones that trickled over the candles in the air.

A few feet from the stage was a long table that ran the length of that wall, filled to overflowing with huge turkies, sweet fowls, hunks of honeyed ham, baskets of fresh rolls, and platters of the most delicious French desserts imaginable. Little house elves scurried among people's legs, handing out goblets of wine and other liquers.

"Sure outdid himself, didn't he?" Ron commented, equally awestruck at the beautiful ballroom and its affects.

"Yeah, but then again, Malfoys aren't capable of anything else."

Ron gave a grin and led Harry around the dancefloor and was being quite the gentlemen until they caught a whiff of the banquet. The redhead gave a deep groan and licked his lips, making Harry's body go warm.

"I, erm, I'll just be right back, " And off he went, leaving Harry to gently chuckle and shake his head.

He passed the time while Ron stuffed his face ( some things just never change) by wandering round the room, saying hello to the Heads of Departments and chatting with some of his co-workers. Well. Soon to be ex co-workers, but they didn't know that yet. Harry even met up with Malfoy and they exchanged a few words, half insults, the other half compliments on both their dress robes and the stately manner of Malfoy's grandfather's castle.

"He's egotistical and extravagant, what more can one say?" Malfoy said plainly, taking a casual sip from his goblet.

"Atleast its comforting to know its only genetic and not an aquired trait. Though I do pity your future wife and children." Harry replied.

Draco regarded him through his eyelashes, a mischievous glint to his grey eyes." Who says I'll procreate with a woman?"

"Don't give me hope like that, Malfoy. It's not nice."

Malfoy actually laughed at his joke and clapped his back before Jimmy tugged the blonde away to see a witch's garrish gown or something.

Harry then wandered past the tall crystal windows and ventured outside onto the balcony. Though the air was crisp, the bright night sky all but made up for it. Folding his arms and wishing his costume had come with a cloak, Harry leaned against the thick stone railing and gazed over the rows of trees and waves of darkened hills, his thoughts returning to the handsome man he came with tonight.

"Mr. Potter. Lovely evening, isn't it?"

Harry turned, startled, but managed a smile all the same for Head of Programs in the Department of Mysteries, Eustace Punickle. "Yes, it is."

"Might I have a word with you?"

"Of course, sir."

Harry never did grow a liking for the old man, even though he was Ron and Draco's boss and Aurors were required to clock atleast a week's time each year aiding Unspeakables. There was just something in his fathomless dark eyes that warned Harry of the evils he had witnessed.

They walked a bit a ways away from a couple enjoying the night air and stood at the far corner of the balcony. Harry leaned comfortably sideways against the stone railing as Punickle stood besides him.

"Well, since I loathe niceties, I'll be quite frank with you, Mr. Potter;You have great fame for someone so young. Your talents, your achievements and saving the world set you apart from everyone else and, if I do say so myself, make you the media's favorite plaything. The camera loves you, that goes without saying. But the attribute that makes for a most..._dangerous_ sort of life is simply this; You are a beautiful man. And it is this that gets not only you, but those you attract, intro great trouble."

Harry blinked, bewildered.

"I prize my elite department and the crucial secrecy they've kept intact for centuries now and I will not see it thrown away all for the sake of a pretty face."

"I...I don't understand."

"You may think that everyone is blind to what is going on here, but be sure that I am not. Coming to the Ball with him may not have meant anything to anyone else, its almost to be expected given recent circumstances, but rest assured I will not condone this."

"Mr.Punickle, you're not making any sense."

"Then I will be blunt." At this, the aged man swept up behind Harry, his breath ghosting over the brunette's ear in sick waves. " This sordid affair between you and Mr. Weasley is OVER."

Harry took a sharp intake of breath, his fingers digging painfully into the railing. "W-what-"

"If I so much as hear even the _slightest_ rumor that this sickening display of disrespect to our Ministry is continuing, trust that I will take you to a place where no one can find you and do all in my power to torture you to within an inch of your life and wipe Weasley's every memory of you from his mind...Do you understand?"

Harry nodded weakly, his Gryffindor bravery vanishing in the face of losing Ron's memory of him. It was all they had.

"Head Punickle! We're due to start the Unspeakable's Orchestra in five minutes!"

Harry felt the man turn and glance his way.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Potter."

Harry's eyes stared unblinkingly out at the starry sky, his breath coming in short gasps.

"Oh, hullo Mr. Punickle."

"Mr. Weasley. Where are you going? Your coworkers are about to play."

"Yes, I'll be there in a bit, I just have to-"

"Ronald, your presence is needed elsewhere. I'm sure whatever it is can wait."

"Please sir, I'll be right in."

A soft hand squeezed his shoulder and it went straight to his heart.

"Here Harry, I got you some red currant rum...Harry?"

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, forcing the painful stings in his eyes back.

"Harry, what's wrong? Are you ok? Do you feel unwell?"

His chin was jerked forcefully to the side, his eyes popping open in surprise. And the sight of Ron looking stricken, confused and so beautiful was the last drive of the nail.

Tears leaked from his green eyes and he summoned all he had in him to spin around and take a few steps away.

"Harry what's wrong? What did I do?"

The boy hugged his stomach, his teeth digging so deep into his lip it started to bleed.

"What-...Did Punickle say something to you, Harry? Did he?...Harry?"

"You should get back to the ball, Ron. You're expected."

"No, tell me what's going on."

Harry stared at the twinkling stars in the distance, recalling a time when he had spent an evening out on a balcony with this very same person. " We're best friends, right?"

"O-of course."

"...Just best friends?" The pause told Harry exactly what Ron was starting to piece together silently.

"Harry..."

"Cause...thats all we'll ever be." He finished, his voice breaking.

"Mr. Weasley! Come along lad! They're starting now!"

"In a second sir!"

"Mr. Weasley, your attendance is mandatory."

"I know! I just need-"

"**NOW** Mr. Weasley."

Harry listened carefully as two pairs of footsteps retreated back through the French doors, leaving him alone to hear the faint echoes of applause.

A shaky hand covered his face, the cool silk of his mask shifting beneath his fingertips. He vaguely heard the host introduce the band members and when they began to play, a broken sob escaped his throat.

More came. Harder. Deeper. Louder. Until he was doubled over, sobbing uncontrollably into his hands. He sank onto a nearby stone bench and hunched over, his cries drowned out by the music from inside the ballroom.

It was all over. That was it. His hopes were squashed before they had had a chance to develop. But what did he expect?

He was an incomplete human being who didn't even belong here anymore. He had too much past and no future. Everyone he touched died. Everything he did was either front-page news or material to shun him. But he hadn't cared. He disregarded rules and expectations and acted selfishly. He hadn't wanted anything except the feel of Ron's hand in his own, but now that too was taken from him.

It was all gone. The tiny feeling of butterflies in his stomach had left and now there was only a gaping hollow.

Harry's mask fluttered to the floor and never before had he felt more lost.

Hurried footfalls burst onto the balcony, then over to him and before he knew it, he was swept into a tight embrace.

"I felt you. I'm here now."

The brunette leaned into his twin's body, burying his face in the familiar shoulder and felt sobs overwhelm him tenfold. What had been the use? Why had he even tried? _Why?_

"Shh...its ok, bro. It's ok..."

Jimmy gently rocked them back and forth, rubbing the smaller boy's back as he murmured incoherent words of comfort. Harry latched onto his robe's front, his insides crying out and he no longer had the strength to silence them.

So he cried. And cried. And cried. He cried until his throat was hoarse and his body was trembling and all his happiness was washed away in salty tears.

"What happened, Harry?" Jimmy asked softly.

" Punickle...Ron and me...kill me..." He stammered out.

His twin knew what he was saying somehow and he was never more grateful. Jimmy whimpered and hugged him tighter, his voice thick with sadness. "Oh god...Harry, I'm so sorry... I swear I'll kill that bastard if he dares touch you."

Harry sat curled up in his brother's arms until his sobs tapered off into random gasps and sniffles. Jimmy slowly pulled away and gently wiped his face with the sleeve of his velvety soft cloak. There were no words anymore. It had all been said, he supposed. Somewhere in the depths of Jimmy's eyes, Harry knew he knew exactly what Harry was going through. He knew the same pains.

"I suppose the Potters are cursed." Jimmy whispered, his fingers fumbling with Harry's mask.

"I suppose so."

A sad smile crossed the younger brother's face then." First with Dad, then you, and me...we can never just be with the one we truly love."

Harry wiped the remainder of his tears away, his eyes focused on his shoes. He didn't know if love was ever the word...but what did _he_ know? He never really knew what love felt like to begin with. " I'm sorry, Jim."

"For what?"

Harry sniffled, his hands tugging at his cape. "For making you a Potter."

Jimmy's smile came slow but steady. His fingers picked up Harry's hand and squeezed. "If I'm doomed to a life alone, then I'm glad I atleast have you for company."

Harry forced a tiny smile from his lips.

"Now come on Cinderella, there's a ball still going and food to be consumed." Jimmy said and magicked his twin's mask back into place. Then as an afterthought, he lined Harry's eyes with thick black eyeshadow. "Perfect."

Harry was guided to his feet and with his hand in his twin's, walked back into the ballroom. They made their way over to one side of the room where most of the Aurors and office clerks were gathered, making it look like a pool of purple and black fish.

He felt a bit better now that he was in the company of people who cared about him, who saw him as more than just the Daily Prophet's boytoy. But it still didn't take away the ache in his gut that was growing ever more larger.

"Don't let him know he won." Jimmy whispered in his ear.

Harry looked down with a nod, blinking back fresh tears. He heard Jimmy sigh then a soft laugh escaped him.

"Atleast someone is happy."

Harry looked up, vaguely curious, and immediately saw Sirius and Remus a few feet away, wrapped up tightly in eachother's arms. A soft smile graced his lips as he watched them, grinning like fools at eachother and talking in words only they could hear. "I'm glad."

The brothers exchanged a little smile just as the host took the stage once more. " Wasn't that wonderful? Another round of applause for the Unspeakable Orchestra. Wonderful gentlemen, simply wonderful. Now, next I would like to introduce the man who kindly hosted our ball this year, Tallen Malfoy Senior."

Harry tilted his head curiously before realizing that the silver-haired aged man taking the stage was none other than Draco's grandfather.

The man tapped his wand to his throat and addressed the room with a toneless voice, his grey eyes flashing in the chandelier light." Will all Ministry officials take the floor for the Minister's Waltz please. Splendid. Now may I introduce the lovely Yoko Kanno singing Valse de la Lune."

Harry shifted awkwardly as the beautiful woman stood infront of the band and the beginning French notes filled the ballroom. He didn't know what to do. He didn't have a partner and Jimmy was already being led away by Draco. The brunette took a steadying deep breath and simply stepped back from the ballroom floor, taking the standard "at ease" Auror's stance.

Then his eyes darted back over to his brother when it dawned on him who he was dancing with. It was depressing how little he had noticed the past year. Sirius and Remus slipped right beneath his nose, as did the couple of purple and gold waltzing round the dancefloor as if they were floating. Harry's heart sunk as he watched them, awful realization slowly dawning on him. And everything fell into place. With a sigh, he turned away and glanced round the room uncomfortably. Hopefully no one expected _him_ to dance without a partner. Though _that_ was a prayer most likely gone unanswered.

"May I have this dance?" A deep voice asked into his ear.

Harry stiffened as his hand was slipped from the other and gently tugged forward. Ron was grinning at him winningly, looking every bit the part of a charming prince in his Unspeakable's gold and off-white dress robes.

The Auror stared at him in panicked confusion, his fingers limp in Ron's grasp. What should he do? Punickle probably wasn't too far away, and if he saw the two of them together...Oh god! No! Harry shook his head furiously, trying to pry his hand from Ron's. "No, Ron, I-I can't, I-"

"You learned the dance right?" He nodded despite his best judgment. "Then come on. Dance with me."

Harry shot a look to his left, spotting the Head of the Auror department watching him curiously along with some of his associates. A look to the right found Punickle dancing with an older lady, his eyes seemingly searching the crowd for his lost Unspeakable. "Ron. No. W-we can't-"

"Harry. Just dance with me." And before he could stop himself, Harry had raised a foot onto the ebony dance floor and was whisked away into the Minister's Waltz.

"Avec des jeunes veus en peau de bete,

on danse ensamble au milieu des tempetes.

Un autre horizon se dissout

dans la lumiere des yeux qui veulent se reveiller."

Ron held him tight, and they spun and twirled and dipped and bowed. Harry resisted at first, but the more they danced, the more it just felt so..._right. _Ron's body knew Harry's and their movements seemed to flow into eachother. It could've been just Ron's perfect dancing skills, but Harry felt as if this moment was meant to be.

"Je sentirai la lumiere sur ma peau,

sin avoir peur de tes mauvaises cotes.

C'est la lune qui conduit la danse

quand le soleil sera couche dans ton ame froide."

The ballroom melted away and it was only Ron and him left, just like it always was. Just being here, in his best friend's arms, was the single happy moment he'd been waiting for.

"Ou l'ombre deploit tous ses voiles

Je peux retrouver ce que l'on cherche dans la nuit,

meme si c'est tres difficile

je danserai mon chemin avec les loups."

As the final move had them circling round eachother (clockwise, THANK you Cienna), joined by the palms, Harry stared unguarded into Ron Weasley's brown eyes. The song slowed, the notes died and somehow, someway, Harry's lips found Ron's in the chaotic applause that followed the singer's performance. Ron's fingers threaded through his as their lips parted and time seemed to stop.

Harry knew it wouldn't last. It never did. But for the last few seconds he had with his Wheezy, Harry held the boy's hand tightly and spoke with his eyes, words of friendship and memory. And he asked silently for retribution as he backed away, holding the redhead's confused chocolate eyes till the last second before he was swallowed up by the crowd.

Harry slipped out of the ballroom, Sirius and Remus quickly following suit. It was too early to go home and Harry didn't want to spend the entire night alone anyways. So he walked straight past the arched fireplace and out the front door. The three walked in silence out into the shocking cold air. Sirius threw his cloak round Remus' shoulders and the two of them sandwiched Harry between them as they started their walk down the curved graveled pathway of Malfoy Chateau.

Harry's heart was bleeding and broken, but he smiled a smile for them, taking happiness in the fact that out of all the people in the world, these two men found love. That was his comfort. That was his absolution.


	17. Dragon's Desire

Hullo Gentle Readers!

This is the chapter you've all been waiting for...Atleast the DracoJimmy shippers . The last sexual tension filled chappie before your hunger for hot steamy slashy sex goodness will be satisfied. So hold onto your panties! Here we go!

Enjoy and review!

* * *

**Dragon's Desire**

+ Can't Promise Happy Endings+  
+ Kelly Clarkson Beautiful Disaster +

Jimmy Potter and Draco Malfoy have been the best of friends since the first moment they met, but while on a mission with Draco from the Ministry, Jimmy falls victim to a deadly rogue pack of Chinese Fireball dragons and they are forced to take shelter in a tiny magically-warded cottage. Will Draco's hidden desires cause their friendship to brink on something...more?

- - - -

Hurrying along a crowded corridor isn't easy on the best of days, but it seemed whenever one was supremely late, fate saw fit to have every single Ministry official file out at the same time and empty into the hall. So was the case on this busy, rainy day for Draco Malfoy.

After consuming himself all week long over a hot cauldron and rendering absolutely no results, it was both a curse and a blessing that an important assignment passed down to him about an hour later than it was meant to. He wasn't supposed to be the person to do it either. When he'd suggested the thing in a fit of frustration, he didn't honestly expect anyone (especially his superiors) to not only take him seriously but assign that task to him. He needed to learn to keep his pretty mouth shut.

Draco scurried forward and dove inside the elevator just as its doors were halfway closed . It was all done in a dignified manner, naturally. Draco wouldn't be caught dead doing anything that wasn't 100 percent respresentative of a dignified Malfoy...except maybe haul ass from the lab he was working in to the elevator in a record-breaking 7 minutes flat. But that didn't count. He had good reason to hurry.

Yes, of course, his boss would've strung him from Gringotts if he kept his companion waiting for very long, that went without saying. But even if Mr.Boss-Man hadn't ordered him to sprint to keep his meeting, he would've done it anyway.

There were just some things one did for a hot brunette.

The doors finally announced 'Lobby' and opened, and Draco was greeted by a most breath-taking sight.

"About friggin' time. Was there a hair emergency on the way up?"

Draco sneered and waltzed up casually to Jimmy Potter, smoothing his long white-blond hair back into place." No, not this time."

Jimmy smirked and shifted his messenger bag to his side. "Well, where to your Majesty? Apparently, I'm at your beck and call today ."

The blond smiled darkly, images flashing across his mind of the most naughty and lewd kind. "Mmm, the possibilities."

Jimmy pouted, though Draco noticed the faint pink tinging his cheeks. "Get serious now. Fudge-packer had me all but sign my voice over if I disclosed what I was to do today. So what's up?"

Draco glanced round them at the witches and wizards streaming past them. He grabbed the brunette's arm and led him away." Let's get to the Portkey Counter and get where we need to first before I tell you anything."

Jimmy rose a brow but let himself be led anyway." Portkey? We're going far then I expect."

Draco kept quiet until they reached the man in charge of portkeys and after they got theirs (an iron horseshoe), slipped into an empty compartment behind a curtain where the could portkey away in private. Jimmy looked skeptical all the while, a frown darkening his handsome features.

The blond stared at the clock tacked up on the wall of the compartment and hugged Jimmy to him when the hands met at twelve.

A sharp tug at his navel and Draco was spinning through air and clouds until they landed with a wet thump onto sloshy undergrowth. Draco tucked the horseshoe into his cloak pocket and took a look round him, thankful for the knee-high dragonhide boots he was smart enough to wear. The dense jungle heat was a vast difference from the chilly England weather. Taking out a handkerchief and dabbing his neck, which was already starting to sweat, Draco looked over his shoulder at a pissed, but puzzled, Jimmy who was trying to stay on thick tree roots to prevent (but not very well) his black trousers from getting anymore sodden.

He could already see the wheels furiously at work trying to figure out what they could possibly be doing in a remote jungle. With a sigh, Draco pulled out his wand and muttered a compassing spell, then started on his way.

"Hey! Wait!" Jimmy called out and did his best to catch up. "Are you going to tell me NOW what the hell we're doing here, or do I have to play twenty questions?"

The blond gathered the end of his cloak and wrapped it round his arm, squinting into the dense trees and plants.

Jimmy grunted at his silence, " Fine. Atleast tell me where are we."

"About two thousand kilometers east of the Ryukyu Islands."

"As in Okinawa?"

"Yes. We're on Sugiyama. In the Fukai Mori jungle, to be exact."

"Why the hell are we here?" Jimmy asked testily.

Draco manuvered his way through a particularly nasty batch of wild venomous tentaculars." 'fraid I can't answer that."

"Bullshit."

Draco turned sharply to regard the brunette behind him. Jimmy looked about as pissed off as he'd ever been. His stance was rigid, his arms were folded and there was something about his dark jade eyes that just dared Draco to lie. A heavy sigh escaped him and he knew his job was on the line, but Fudge and Punickle couldn't keep involving people like Jimmy and other Aurors without finally letting them know what exactly they were helping with. So he leaned back comfortably against a huge tree, tying his damp white locks up in a low ponytail.

"First and foremost, you must swear on your parent's grave that you will never repeat any of what I'm about to say. Both our lives would be in jeopardy."

Jimmy nodded, finally stepping onto the tree root Draco was on. Now that he was upclose, the blond could see what the heat was doing to him. Jimmy had forsaken his cloak by probably shrinking it and storing it in his pocket (if that bulge in his pants was anything to go by, hehe), his eratic hair was starting to droop and his cheeks were flushed. A black wool vest and black trousers probably weren't the best options for a trek on a tropical island.

"For about two years now, Punickle has been supervising a project that Cornelius Fudge himself initiated. If successful, it would revolutionize the prison system as we know it." Draco paused, gathering all that he knew and trying to simplify as best he could. " I was assigned to it the minute I was oathed as an Unspeakable. Perhaps because of my history in keeping controversial topics secret or maybe just because of my family's power, either way I was given a rather high rank on the project and therefore able to piece together the bits of information I came across."

Jimmy kept quiet, his mouth thinned in a solemn line. His eyes told a different story, however. And Draco knew the lad saw what was about to come somehow.

" The project is called 'Safe Sleep'. The concept is we would develop a potion that would be administered to all Azkaban inmates who would instantly fall into suspended animation. In other words, they'd sleep indefintely. After Sirius Black's breakout and the consequent mass breakout a year later, Fudge knew his supporters lost faith in him and his ability to keep them safe from the convicts. So project Safe Sleep was created to counter that. It'd do away with both Dementors and wizard guards. With all the inmates in comas, there would be slim to no chance of another breakout."

"Therefore making Fudge a savior." Jimmy finished.

Draco nodded and pushed back loose strands of his hair." So far, we've managed to create the foundation for the potion, but its not enough. Unfortunately, no one knew what was missing until I came along and blurted out a suggestion in a fit of frustration."

"Which was?"

The Malfoy heir licked his lips, pausing." We couldn't make the test subjects grasp onto sleep and instead we lost countless trials...I suggested that we use material from a Lethifold, known to eat sleeping wizards and therefore capture that essence, and use the sample to stabilize the potion."

Jimmy tilted his head," But Lethifolds are extremely rare. Muggles don't realize what it is until it kills them and no witch or wizard alive has seen one. How would you know where to even look?"

"Ah, thats where we got a break. Just before the Ministry Ball, I received a letter from our liason in China saying there was a tiny village on an island near there being terrorized by a Lethifold. The Chinese Ministry is handling it by modifying memories, but we got our chance to slip in under their radar due to a neighboring island being attacked by a pack of Chinese Fireballs escaped from Kappei Reservation."

"So you're here to trap a Lethifold and take back its DNA? Then why the hell did _I_ have to come?" Jimmy asked testily. Obviously he wasn't over his boots getting soggy.

"Fudge has kept an eye on this project since its creation. But you know how Fudge is...He doesn't want to get his hand caught in the cookie jar." Draco explained with a slight sneer." So he's been having the Aurors who aid us tell him what they've seen, and since the project has taken a crucial turn in the right direction, I suppose he saw fit to send in his most trusted employee to supervise my assignment."

Jimmy glowered." Me."

Draco nodded and gave the boy a somber glance." I'm not going to lie to you, Jimmy. This is extremely shady business here. I know what will happen to me if something goes wrong; They'll make me disappear...But YOU...Fudge was stupid by sending you with me. You're too high profile. Punickle disapproved right at the get go, but Fudge wouldn't have it. All I know is that if something happens to this mission, no one will ever know what became of us. Oh, I'm sure Fudge might come up with some lame excuse, like you were traveling to Ireland and got lost because of a sabotaged portkey. It'd only help his reelection campaign and introducing Safe Sleep."

Jimmy was looking slightly green and his usual arrogant confidence had vanished to be replaced by numbing reality.

"I'm sorry, Jimmy...I never wanted you in danger."

The boy nodded, looking as if he were about to faint. Gryffindor he was not. "What I don't understand is why this was kept a secret for all this time? I'm sure Fudge would've been excited to present this to the public as reassurance of his competency."

Draco rubbed his neck," Yes, well...you see the potion isn't as wonderful as it sounds. There will be numerous side effects, and more we don't know about since the potion isn't complete yet. But two of the main reasons Fudge hasn't gone public are this; One-- at the offchance that an innocent is sent to prison, if he or she is woken up, they stand close to no chance of remembering anything about their previous lives and two--the test subjects have been...human."

Jimmy turned greener.

"Well, come on then. I'm sure between the two of us, this mission should be pie." Draco gave Jimmy's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before they resumed the difficult journey through the jungle.

A long hour passed in silence and Draco kept having to check over his shoulder to make sure the brunette wasn't lost in the thick branches or an unseen pit. He wasn't sure what was going through the Potter's mind, but it must not have been good. The lad had a glazed look in his eyes, as if his brain was fried, but at the same time, he looked as if he'd never done as much thinking as he was right now.

The latter was what worried the blond. Jimmy was sharper than anyone gave him credit for, and given his relations...Oh merlin...It was a VERY bad idea for him to come along. And Draco deserved some of the blame for that. It wasn't as if he objected very forcefully...but it was hard to send away any oppurtunity he could muster with the brunette. Ever since the Ball, images had been racing through his mind. Memories of their bodies touching while they danced; the glow of the candles catching silver in Jimmy's hair; his smile.

Draco bit his lip hard and forced that train of thought off the rails and into a ravine. That wouldn't do.

"Hey, I think I see some light up ahead."

The blonde squinted ahead and sure enough, streams of sunlight were swelling as they made their way through the plants. Finally breaking free of the jungle, Draco was flooded by bright light and blinded momentarily. With his vision gone, he was able to hear the crunching of something big landing on twigs up ahead. Prying an eye open, all he saw was a large blob of red growing steadily larger.

He shut his eyes briefly then popped them both wide open and almost screamed at the sight before him.

Stretched out round a burned-out clearing were four adult Chinese Fireball dragons. Their gold fringe glimmered in the late afternoon sun and their scarlet scales shimmered dangerously. Eight protrubent eyes locked onto them and stared with ill-concealed hunger.

Draco reached behind him and found Jimmy's sleeve. Carefully muttering under his breath, he slowly made to back them away."No sudden movements. Just go back into the jungle."

Jimmy mumbled his consent and they were almost back at the edge of the trees when one of the dragons stood up and snarled. Obviously, they weren't having any of that.

They only had enough time to dive for the ground when a stream of fire shot through the air where they just stood. Draco scrambled to his feet and grabbed Jimmy's arm before darting toward the safety of the trees. Another burst of fire set aflame the opening in the leaves, stopping them in their tracks. Flicking his eyes around, he saw another possible escape route and shoved Jimmy towards it.

A scarlet dragon stepped in their path, lowering her fringed head to stare at the pair with deadly eyes. It was then that Draco realized the fire had spread to the entire circle, engulfing them in a ring of fire.

"We're trapped!" Jimmy hissed somewhere behind him.

Draco grit his teeth, watching what seemed to be the alpha male stand infront of the one blocking their way. He bobbed his head, as if amused by the behavior of their favorite snack. "When I give the signal, run."

Jimmy's body pressed into his side, his voice in his ear, " Oh yes, lovely plan. Did you fail to notice we're trapped in a fiery dinner platter!"

The blond gasped and used his entire body to slam Jimmy to the ground just as the alpha male made a toothy lunge at them. Draco cried out as a spiked tail smashed into his back, sending him several feet away from Jimmy to land with a throaty grunt. Dizzy with shock, the Slytherin didn't register the sharp taloned feet stepping to hover over him. Hot breath spilled over his exposed skin, burning saliva left scorch marks on his pantlegs and Draco fumbled helplessly for his wand.

"_Glacius _!"

An enraged roar filled the jungle and Draco slapped his hands to his ears to keep them from bursting. Then he was lifted to his feet and he realized what Jimmy had done. The Fireball's snout was covered in ice and it seemed to be paining the dragon greatly. Confused and angered that their leader was rendered injured by these tiny creatures, the three remaining dragons gave roars of outrage and lunged for them.

Jimmy pushed Draco aside and brandished his wand, a determined tightness to his face."_Aquaus Glacius_ !"

Draco watched as a jet of water shout out at the dragons, dousing them and their attempts at fire. The water quickly hardened and became ice, making the animals thrash and rear up in panic.

"Go! Quick!" Jimmy yelled at him.

The Malfoy made to run despite the searing pain in his back when he saw a flutter of wings out of the corner of his eye." JIMMY!"

But it was too late.

The alpha male had recovered from his icy nuisance and had descended with shocking speed straight onto Jimmy. Draco stumbled backwards as screams and cries of spells came from within the flurry of wings and teeth and talons. What could he do? The pain in his back was bringing tears to his eyes, but he was incontrol of his facilities enough to feel a rock just to the side of his foot.

Not bothering to think of the consequences, Draco tore the rock from the ground and heaved it at the dragon.

The creature reared up just long enough for Draco to dart forward and scoop Jimmy up onto his back and hurry him out. Without hesitation, the blond ripped his cloak from round his neck and threw it over the both of them, leaping into the flames that engulfed the clearing.

He grit his teeth against the fire that lashed at his legs and struggled through the burning jungle, heaving breaths of ash and flame.

A falling branch caught an edge of the cloak, ripping it from them and causing Draco to lose his balance. The two toppled to the ground and it took only seconds for Draco to realize the dragons had given chase through the fires. Hauling Jimmy up from beneath his arms, the blond dragged him with renewed fervor. Five feet. Ten feet. Fifteen feet. It might as well have been miles to the Malfoy, who's skin was scorching and lungs crying out.

Suddenly, he tipped backwards and down they tumbled to land in a painful heap. Looking up, disoriented, Draco saw the ledge they had fallen down and the fire furiously licking at the open air above them.

A strangled moan came from his side making the blond look down and gasp in shock. Jimmy was an absolute mess. His shirt was burned in patches and his vest was lost somewhere in the fire. His face and arms were badly burned and it looked as if he'd sustained more than a few cuts. His pantlegs were scorched, but one was completely torn off. And imbedded deep within his left thigh, gushing black blood, was a Fireball's talon.

Draco's world spun round him for a few minutes as he stared at the dark liquid spilling from his best friend.

"...D..dray..."

The blond blinked back tears and shook the shock from his head. Pulling his wand from his pocket, Draco forced his voice to steady long enough to mutter healing spells and a few Aquas Glacius. A series of deep roars stopped the healing and Draco knew they couldn't stay so out in the open.

But where should he go? The village was miles from here, and with all the running round, he'd lost track of where they'd come from. And with a gnawing sort of dread, Draco realized he'd lost the portkey somewhere in the fire. There was no way of contacting the Chinese Ministry without an owl and Jimmy was in no condition to Disapparate anywhere. He could get the boy to safety first, then try Apparating himself. Even though he didn't know the area, it was still worth a try. Though if he turned up someplace else, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to find his way back to Jimmy.

"Damn it all to hell." Draco growled and carefully levitated Jimmy onto a conjured stretcher. Checking all around him for signs of the pack of vengeful dragons, the blond hurried through the second stretch of jungle.

This part seemed less dense and there were even vague paths he could take. Choosing one of these that was curiously littered with moss stones, Draco eventually found himself coming out into a small clearing and perched like a gift from God himself was a little hut.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief and hurried onward, his friend floating behind him, unconscious. "Hullo! Hullo! Please! My friend needs help!"

He burst in through the sheer screening that closed off the open doorway and darted his head around." Hullo! Anyone here! HULLO!" Hearing nothing but silence, Draco gritted his teeth and instead went looking for the bathroom.

Tucked in a room in the back, there was a large wooden basin built on a deck that was either used for bathing or washing clothes. Today, it would be a tub. Draco hauled Jimmy into the wooden basin, and quickly filled it with icy water. The water hissed as it touched the brunette's clothing, but luckily, the reaction was enough to stop the bleeding.

Finally releasing a sigh, Draco picked up a shirt lying nearby and used it as a washcloth. Minutes crept by as he wiped the ash from his friend's face and neck. Now that they were out of imminent danger, Draco could now inspect Jimmy's injuries.

The burns weren't as bad as he first suspected, except on the lad's right upper arm. Jimmy's left forearm looked to be broken, but he couldn't be sure and the deepening purple on the Potter's left side probably meant a rib or two was bruised.

The cuts, scrapes and minor burns he healed without a hitch, but it was the deeper burns he had trouble with. As much as he hated to admit it, he was always better at dishing out injury then fixing it. Of all the times not to have Potty handy. Draco sighed then broke into a heavy coughing fit. His body pitched forward as his lungs struggled to expell all the ash he'd inhaled earlier.

Sagging back against the basin, Draco gathered his composure and stared up at the wooden ceiling with blurry vision.

A tear escaped down his cheek and the blond was quick to wipe it away. It wasn't the time to fall to mushy pieces. He was a Malfoy. Malfoys didn't cry nor did they give up. They made the best of a bad situation and twisted it to suit their needs.

So Draco carefully pushed himself to his feet and walked out of the backroom to explore the hut properly. Perhaps the owner had stepped out to fetch water, seeing as the tiny shack was hardly industrialized enough to have plumbing. Upon inspection, Draco saw that the hut had three rooms. One where a mattress lay on the ground, the second where the basin was and the third, seemingly the living room/kitchen/foyer. Though it was hardly a kitchen. Just a corner where a short, fat stove stood next to a cupboard.

On the other side of the front room was a long low table at which was placed a single pillow. Atop it sat a delicate tea set and a plate of crackers. What set Draco on edge was the little cup sitting next to the plate, completely filled with cold tea. Stepping up closer, he noticed various clues as to what really happened to the owner.

A basket of laundry waited by the door, alongside a walking cane. A smoking pipe, already stuffed, was perched atop a short bookcase that housed various books, all in chinese, one in particular opened and lying sprawled across the top of the shelf. Peering it over, it didn't take a genius to realize that the black cloak spread across an entire page, chinese characters on the other, was a Lethifold.

Was it possible that the owner was a wizard? Why else would he have a book on magical creatures?

Draco frowned and carefully closed the book. "Well, that answers two questions."

Would the Lethifold come back? It usually didn't attack twice in the same place, but it would take a few days for its most recent meal to fully digest. Hmm. Perhaps this mission wasn't a lost cause after all. If he could find out where it went to sleep while it disgested, then he could ambush it and take a piece of its body.

But that would have to wait until later. Right now, he could hear pained groaning coming from the back, which meant Jimmy had finally come to. Walking through the doorway confirmed this.

Jimmy was awake, though he looked currently distracted by the unimaginable pain shooting through his body.

Draco kneeled next to the basin, noticing the murky grey the water had turned. "Hey. You awake?" Stupid question. Moving onto another. "How do you feel?"

Jimmy grunted, his hands shifting down to clutch at his leg. "Like a hotdog."

Draco smiled a bit, glad the boy still retained his smartass humor." Well, thats to be expected. Now, don't hate me, but we need to get that talon out of your leg."

Jimmy grimaced," Can't we just leave it there? It'd go with my red purse."

"No, and I'm sure you don't want your leg to fall off." Draco replied, charming the water icy cold in preparation.

"Mrgh..."

Draco gave the brunette a sympathetic look as he rolled up his sleeves. "It'll hurt like hell while its coming out, but just bear with it. I want you to do only ONE thing: keep your head above the water."

Jimmy nodded and reached up to grip onto the sides of the tub.

Taking a big breath, Draco reached into the water, alarmed at how warm it had gotten already, and carefully wrapped his hands round the talon. It was suprisingly big, and HOT. Draco was having a hard time getting a good grip on it without burning himself. But deciding hard and fast would be the best bet for the both of them, Draco gave the talon a violent tug.

It moved scarce fractions, but the movement was felt by the Potter all the same. Jimmy gave a gasp of pain and gripped the edges tighter. Draco bit his lip and started pulling the talon bit by bit, using all his strength. Bubbles began floating to the surface, then more, and more, until the water's surface was corroded by the hot bubbles the talon's wound was releasing. Draco couldn't even see past his forearm anymore.

Jimmy had squeezed his eyes shut and tears were leaking down his pale face, his knuckles almost white as they clutched to the basin.

Draco hated to see his friend like this and a determination settled into his gut, giving him the strength to make the last few tugs. The talon finally popped out, causing Draco to topple backwards. He hastily dropped it to the floor, fanning his hands in the cool air. They'd be red for a bit, but nothing serious.

Turning his attentions back to his raven-haired friend, he saw that the boy had once again passed out. Lucky, too, since this next part would be tricky. He had to close up the wound, but not before making sure there wouldn't be infection. If the dragon's ferocious bacteria got into the system, there's no telling what would happen. Coma, paralysis, memory loss, disfigurement, internal bleeding...the list went on.

Draco gave a tired exhale and set to work patching up the beautiful brunette sitting in a tub of red water.

- - - - -

It wasn't until the next afternoon when Jimmy finally awoke. Draco had been making a note of their supplies and what they would need to survive until Jimmy got well. So far, they had plenty of rice and red potatoes. In a storage shed Draco found outback was a variety of gardening tools and weapons, probably to kill local game. Next to the hut was a small humble garden filled with herbs, tomatoes, onions, carrots and string beans. Atleast they wouldn't starve to death. In the bedroom, there was a moderate dresser filled with peasant blouses and working slacks, but no shoes.

Currently, Draco was working in the kitchen mixing a Pepperup potion and a crude form of Skele-Gro when he heard the distinct rustle of bedsheets. Picking up the finished potions, he carried them and a roll of bandages into the bedroom where he saw Jimmy stirring and staring around groggily.

"Mornin sunshine."

"D-dray?"

Draco smiled kneeling down besides the futon and set the tray aside. " You've been out for almost a day."

Jimmy groaned low in his throat, absently reaching up to rub his raven hair that had long since gone flat. "My body feels like its been run over twice by a monster truck."

"Well...a dragon...same difference." The blond tried to smile jokingly, but it was difficult. Jimmy still looked pale and weak. He'd lost alot of blood before Draco could close up the wound.

"What happened? Where are we?" Jimmy asked, examining both his bandaged arms and strange surroundings.

"We're still on Sugiyama. After we got away from the dragons, I found this hut." Draco explained, pouring some healing solvent he made earlier onto the bandages.

"Where's the owner?" The brunette inquired, watching with mild apprehension as Draco started to unwrap his upper arm.

"Ah...seems we found where the Lethifold struck last." Draco replied, carefully wrapping the medicated gauze over Jimmy's blistered skin.

Jimmy looked alarmed at first, then a sinking dread crossed his eyes." You're going after it, aren't you?"

Draco smirked and quickly checked the boy's splinted forearm and leg wound."I don't give you nearly enough credit for your astuteness."

"Draco, thats a bad idea. Lethifolds are dangerous, fed or not."

The blond brushed aside the warnings and instead produced two vials of shining liquid." Take these and shut up."

Jimmy scowled weakly and ginerly took the vials." What are they?"

"Pepperup and Skele-Gro."

The brunette's green eyes widened in alarm." I broke my arm!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure. Lets check, shall we?" Draco then cautiously lifted Jimmy's splinted arm to drape across his stomach." Wiggle your fingers."

An expression of concentration rolled over the boy's face and his fingers wiggled, though hesitantly.

"Ok then. Try moving your arm."

Jimmy, obviously not taking to this ordering about, gave the blond a glare but tried to lift his arm all the same. A cry of pain was all Draco needed to hear.

"Yep, thats broken. Atleast splintered. Even a weak version of Skele-Gro should heal that up nicely."

The boy looked skeptical, but at Draco's determined stare, downed both potions in quick concession. A grimace twisted Jimmy's face and he hissed as smoke billowed from his ears.

"Atleast I can do basic first aid properly, " Draco commented proudly as he cleaned up. Jimmy didn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

" Don't change the subject. You can't go after that thing, Draco. You're gonna get hurt by it or those dragons and I won't be there to bail you out."

The blond clenched his jaw and less than gently shifted a pillow beneath the boy's wounded leg. "I've been bailing myself out for awhile now."

"Thats a lie." Jimmy said curtly.

Draco looked up in surprise, seeing a hard look in the Potter's green eyes.

"You've had your parents always and whatever house servant was available, not to mention Crabbe and Goyle. You don't know the meaning of being alone."

Draco rose to his feet, his own eyes glazing over. "Think you know me, do you? I'm just an open book to you, am I? You don't know a DAMN thing about me Potter."

If Jimmy could've moved, he would've slapped Draco. The murderous glint in his eyes told the blond he started something that should've just remained untouched.

"I know you're a bloody coward. You're so self-preserving, it clouds every decision you make. You're so bent on never letting anyone close, you end up alienating yourself and making yourself miserable."

"And you're a ray of sunshine, are you? Wasn't it YOU who said he regretted ever coming to England? Wasn't it YOU who nearly killed himself when Harry was accepted to the Auror Academy and he was stuck at the Ministry?"

Jimmy's eyes shimmered, but his determination was as fiery as ever." Sure, turn it all on _me_, Draco. Deny the truth all you want, but you know what I said was true. You're fucking miserable and you think being an Unspeakable will SOMEHOW change that."

"What did you expect me to do!" Draco screamed, his fists clenched tightly." Wait around until everyone saw that I wasn't like my father! Wait around until I lost everything I'd ever known! Wait around until you-..."

"Until I what?"

"Nothing! I'm going out! "Draco growled and stormed from the room.

"You're not alone you dumbass!" Jimmy screamed after him. " You've got _me _! ...DRACO!"

Draco ran until his lungs burned and his head was spinning. He ran until his legs gave out on him and his eyes stung. He ran until he collapsed to his knees and hung his head in shame.

The forest floor was wet and soft beneath his fingers and he only vaguely heard a storm in the distance. Jimmy's voice echoed painfully in his ears, making his heart throb and his throat clench.

He was right...Everything he had said, was right...Draco hated admitting it, but he wasn't much for self-deteriorating behavior. The truth was, Draco Malfoy was a coward.

From the moment he'd started Hogwarts and met the first of the Potters, he'd been scared senseless of losing his power his father had promised he'd have. Harry Potter was everything he never was.And that carried on throughout their school years, up until Jimmy came along. Then it was as if Draco had realized what had happened to the other side of Saint Potter. Jimmy was just like him. Arrogant, witty, sarcastic, clever, charming and self-preserving.

But then Jimmy stayed behind to fight alongside his brother and Draco knew the boy was exactly like Harry. And he knew he could never tell Jimmy the evils he had comitted.

Harry understood. He had forgiven Draco for never telling him about Granger or Skye. Somehow, Harry knew Draco just couldn't help the situation he was borne into. But Jimmy...Jimmy would never understand. He didn't know what his father was like. He didn't know what Voldemort was capable of. He just didn't KNOW.

And even so, Jimmy had struck the nail on the head, so to speak. Draco wanted very badly to create a place for himself. Not on his father's terms, not on Harry's terms, but on his own. He wanted to feel as if he'd done something good for humanity, and maybe for himself...He wanted to feel like a person, not a monster. He wanted to be what he was at heart and just stop pretending. But when he realized he'd never be anything more than a Malfoy, he had become an Unspeaklable. So much was lost to him that day...

A muffled rustling came from somewhere to his left and Draco put his self-loathing on pause long enough to squint into the darkness and listen intently. The tall trees loomed over his head like giants, swinging their branches dangerously in the increasing wind. A storm was defintely coming, and it was going to be a pretty bad one if the thunder was anything to go by.

A movement caught Draco's attention and he quickly jerked his head round in time to see what looked like a yard of black cloth spill over the edge of some jutting rocks and disappear.

Draco carefully crept to a safe distance before assessing the situation. The Lethifold was in the vicinity of the hut. He could chase it down right now, but that was suicide. He was in no mood to produce a proper Patronus and besides that, he didn't have his equipment with him...Well shit.

Shoving himself to his feet, Draco made his way back to the house dejectedly. Resigning himself to the fact that the hunt would have to be put off until morning, he walked inside and was shocked at the silence that met him. Alarmed, he hurried down the hall and pushed aside the screen for the bedroom.

Lying on his back, laxen locks spilling across his forehead and mouth pinched at the corners in a sort of frown, Jimmy was asleep. Though a bit restlessly if the occasional mutters were any indicator.

Draco walked over quietly and knelt down besides the boy. His anger began to ebb away as Jimmy whimpered nonsense about apologies and blames in his sleep. Gently brushing back his hair, Draco leaned down to press a light kiss onto the boy's furrowed brow.

With a heavy sigh, Draco looked fondly down at his best friend, the only man alive who had been able to see right through a Malfoy's icy exterior and see the pain inside." You fool."

As quietly as he came, Draco left the slumbering young man and moved into the living room to stand guard all night along.

- - - - -

The next day proved to be cold and rainy, making Lethifold hunting all the more difficult. The pile of rocks where he'd last seen the creature turned up fruitless. It was all too out in the open for a Lethifold to curl up and digest, especially in the rain.

Hopes of catching the thing before the storm rolled in was looking more and more bleak. So by early evening, all the sun had gone and Draco was more than ready to call it a day.

He'd found some roots that would make his healing solvent more powerful and a banana tree. Jimmy loved bananas. So making his way along a vague path he'd created, Draco nibbled on a banana and mulled over the decisions waiting at his feet. This mission was looking to be a big fat failure and given that, Draco was certain there'd be absolutely no rescue mission on its way. Well, he couldn't let Jimmy down again. He was going to get the lad home and the medical attention he needed.

He didn't care if anyone never heard from him ever again, but Jimmy didn't deserve that. People needed him, like Potter and Weasley and that Godfather of his.

Draco's lips twitched as an image of the man popped into his mind. He hadn't seen Remus Lupin in quite awhile, so it was quite the shock to see him curled up in Sirius Black's arms all night long, necking and what not. Jimmy and Harry had looked upon this with expressions of adoration, so Draco didn't say anything. But it had bugged him nonetheless.

It didn't seem fair that the two men could be together, publicly no less, and at the Ministry Ball of all places!

But then again, Sirius always did whatever he wanted. He was the black (no pun intended) sheep of the family and maybe that was why Draco never seemed to like him. It was easy being disliked by everyone, but to constantly live for other's approval...

Draco shook his head and smoothed back his damp hair. No more of that, back to business. His options. Well, there weren't many. As a matter of fact, there was only one. He'd have to wait until Jimmy got better, then they'd travel to the Nobuyuki village and find the residing wizard there. All of these little villages had one or two. He couldn't chance Disapparation anymore, especially not with the storm settling in, and the portkey was nothing but a melted heap of disactivated crap.

A flutter of leathery wings passed overhead and Draco dove for the cover of a banana plant just as the pack of Chinese Fireballs flew by, clicking at eachother. Keeping silent for a few minutes, Draco waited until the little animals round him began to rouse once again.

Peeking out from under the leaves, he watched as three dragons circled an area a few kilometers to the west while the alpha male seemed to be gliding round an even larger area. From what Draco had studied about dragons (hey, his name MEANT dragon, of course he'd know more than a fair share about them) it looked as if the pack had just killed something and now the alpha was circling his territory to dare other dragons to try and take his spoils.

It used to amuse him when he was a child, but now that HE could be considered an opposing dragon, he didn't find it so funny.

After calculating that their hut lay on the edges of the dragons' territory, Draco quickly darted home making sure to stay under the safety of the thick canopy just incase.

When he finally walked in through the open doorway, it was completely black outside and the inside was not much better. Heaving the bag of fruit and roots onto the cupboard top, Draco went to light the various candles in the front room.

Glancing at the back, he was met with an impeding darkness. Jimmy seemed to still be in a mad mood with him. It was just as well. He didn't think he could face the boy after all the thinking he'd done...and after that kiss.

Draco huffed at himself and went back to the kitchen to get started on some food. Just as he finished stacking a few potatoes onto the cutting board, a gentle creak echoed throughout the hut. Looking over with a start, he saw Jimmy standing in the archway leading to the front room, his face half tightened by the pain he was obviously in.

"What're you doing? You should be resting," Draco chastened, but Jimmy waved him off and limped into the kitchen to lean back against the wall behind him.

"Oh can it. I had to get up. I was going crazy just lying there like a bedridden old codger."

Draco smiled a bit, but continued to stare at the boy. It was sort of hard not to...Jimmy had that rumpled "fresh out of bed" look and it was doing odd things to Draco's body. "Well...alright, I guess. I made you more Pepperup anyways."

Jimmy nodded and Draco went back to chopping. He almost hacked off his thumb though when Jimmy's warm side pressed into his back and his voice came like creamy caramel to his ears.

"...help?"

"Huh?"

"I said do you need any help?"

The blond composed himself enough to motion to the bag of rice and tub of water waiting next to him." Wash the rice."

Jimmy saluted and got to work, leaving Draco with bewildering thoughts and pink cheeks.

Their supper of rice, potatoes and fried tomatoes was tasty, thanks to Jimmy's vague knowledge of spices Potter used in his recipes. Even the bland green tea tasted great, and it was all because of the company shared. The silence was comfortable and lasting.

Usually the two young men couldn't shut up round eachother, but tonight it just felt different. Perhaps it was the seriousness of their situation weighing on their minds or maybe it was the fact that they were entirely alone that caused the silence. Either way, Draco enjoyed it. He honestly didn't know Jimmy even HAD a quiet side. He thought that all went to Potter.

It was a nice surprise.

For dessert, Jimmy enjoyed fried bananas and Draco enjoyed Jimmy. The boy was watching the rain outside as he nibbled on the fruit and occasionally he'd twitch his nose at a boom of thunder. His thumb tapped invisible tunes and his green eyes constantly twinkled in the candlelight.

Maybe Draco was paying too much attention, but Jimmy's features seemed to be relaxing more each passing minute. Suddenly those brilliant emerald eyes were on him and the blond almost choked on his tongue.

A faint smile tugged at Jimmy's lips and his gaze softened considerably. Draco's heart fluttered and he tried to scold the treacherous organ, but he couldn't find the strength.

"Sorry, Dray."

"Me too, Jim."

Jimmy smiled a bit more and went back to watching the rain and Draco watched him. It probably wouldn't be considered much of an apology for their fight earlier, but it was perfect for them. Jimmy wasn't much for apologies and neither was Draco. He much prefered showing his apology (if he felt it worthy of such effort) then just saying it. Words were fickle. They changed on you. And they came out wrong. But actions...actions went farther than words ever could.

Draco gave a sigh and lifted himself to his bare feet and took a good, long stretch. He didn't realize how much his bones ached or his back for that matter. That damn dragon's tail had got him good.

"Tired?"

Draco nodded and smoothed down his shirt.

"Me too. Amazing what a hot meal will do to ya, " Jimmy said and made to stand up.

The next moment, he yelped in pain and was draping in Draco's arms. He stared up bewildered into grey eyes and Draco gulped.

"T-thanks." The brunette mumbled.

"Don't mention it." Draco muttered in response, his gaze taking in the closeness of Jimmy's face. Was it getting closer?

He could feel soft puffs of breath rolling over his lips and then Jimmy licked his own. It was when green eyes flicked down to stare at his quivering lip that Draco gently but firmly guided Jimmy upright. "Watch yourself next time, you klutz."

Jimmy blinked out of whatever trance he was in and scowled. "Well, if SOMEONE would just make me a crutch, I wouldn't be falling over people."

A smirk tugged at Draco's lips and the strange moment had passed. "You're not crippled, do it yourself."

"But thats what I have you for. Now come manservant. Carry me to my quarters."

"As if I could carry that fat head of yours." Jimmy whacked Draco's arm, but the blond carried him anyways to the bedroom. He was damning himself and he was starting not to care.

- - - - -

The next three days were a dazed blur to Draco. He wasn't sure what was happening to him, but he knew he didn't want it to stop. The worries of his life seemed to slip away and all that was left was this tiny hut in the middle of the Fukai Mori jungle where he could spent countless hours alongside his favorite person.

It had been a secret fantasy of his and he was hard pressed to make sure it lasted if it wasn't for the selflessness that came from caring for another person.

So, even if it didn't last, he could atleast keep these six days in his memory and go back to them whenever his life got too much for him.

Jimmy proved to be the perfect person to live with...Er, more or less. His usual cheerful punk attitude came back the second day and he knew exactly how a household was run. He was always talking to Draco and the stories never ceased to entertain him. It felt weird, but still wonderful, to talk to someone so consistently and not about illegal circumstances. It was especially fantastic to have company for not only supper, but every meal inbetween.

And during that time, Draco was able to piece together the precious fragments of Jimmy's unknown past. He had had two friends in the whole world, despite his notorious popularity at Dunlap and the racing circuit. They called themselves the Comrades and they got into all sorts of trouble.

It was on the sixth day of their "vacation" that they were sitting at the table, enjoying tea wafers and a particularly good story Draco had managed to weasel out of Jimmy.

"So there we were, pressed against the wall, a Lazzaryth behind us and Surly to the front of us and a month's worth of detentions in our immediate future. Well, we had no choice but to vault the window and hope for the best."

Draco burst out laughing, taking the grace to cover his mouth since he had been in the middle of chewing." In the middle of a _swamp_!"

Jimmy grinned behind his teacup and shrugged nonchalantly." It seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyways, we ended up having to haul ass through the water since the Care of Magical Creatures class forgot to feed the crocs. Well, we finally got to solid land and ran our asses off until we hit the city."

"Why did you want to go there anyway?" Draco inquired, recovering from his outburst.

"Not too sure, actually. I had hada weird dream...I dunno. Well, we walked around while we dried off when Smite spotted about the only interesting thing that was open within miles. It turned out to be an immigrant palm reader. So, we went inside and got our fortunes told."

The blond quirked a brow, always intrigued by muggles trying to pass lame palmistry off as the real thing." So, what did yours say?"

Jimmy looked as if he'd been struck, which intrigued Draco even more. The boy sipped quietly at his tea, pretending as if he hadn't heard the question.

"Jim?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What did your fortune say?"

Jimmy looked to the side uncomfortably and chewed on his lip. A habit Draco had quickly learned meant exactly the same thing as when Harry did it; something was weighing on the Potter's mind that made him anxious and uncertain. "Come on then. You tell me and I'll tell you something revealing about myself."

Jimmy seemed to mull this over quite considerably. Obviously, this fortune issue was a huge deal to the boy.

"Well...alright." Jimmy finally replied, his face losing none of the aniexty." But I want you to know, I've never told another living soul and I was warned not to."

Draco tilted his head," I won't tell. I promise."

Jimmy paused then gave a resigned sigh, as if accepting his fate." Alright. Well the woman must've looked at my hand for a good ten minutes before she looked up at me. She didn't say much except for one sentence and a warning that stuck with me ever since."

"Which was?"

" 'True love will come in the eyes of dragon.' " Jimmy recited, his hands curled round his cup.

Draco mused over the curious fortune, puzzled as to its meaning." She didn't say anything else?"

"Only that if I were to ever speak of this aloud before I found my love, it would doom me to a life of loneliness."

Draco couldn't help but sniff at the warning, " Seems to me she just wanted her payment to seem worthwhile."

Jimmy shrugged uncertainly, " In any case, I took it to heart. What can I say? I was thirteen and gullible. But I did take a souvenir with me to remind me of it forever."

"What was that?"

The boy looked out the window, as he was prone to do whenever he stubbornly refused to answer a question too probing. Even so, it gave Draco the opportunity to think over what Jimmy had just revealed. He was told his true love would come into his life but it would be taken away if he ever asked around.

Convinient, if you asked him. But it showed that at heart, Jimmy was a hopeless romantic. He had believed in this prophecy so fully, he hadn't told anyone for fear of losing this mysterious person. But then...he'd just told Draco. Had Jimmy given up hope of finding this rogue? From the forlorn look in the boy's green eyes, he assumed it to be true. How saddening. To lose hope of happily ever afters at nineteen. Well, he wasn't one to speak. He'd lost those when he witnessed the slaughter of his favorite house elf when he was six. The poor darling had only brought him hot cocoa for his throat. He hadn't meant to get her into trouble for disobeying Malfoy Senior. But she'd paid for her insolence with her life. And Draco's innocence.

"Storm's getting worse."

Draco blinked from his reverie and followed Jimmy's concerned frown out the window." It sure is. Surprised it came this far."

Jimmy turned to him, curious. "What came this far?"

"Well, the peculiar weather the day of your brother's kidnapping was bound to go somewhere. I didn't expect it to travel so far, however."

"What do you mean peculiar?" Jimmy inquired, his brow furrowing.

"Well, it wasn't the season for full out hail storms. The day before had been quite sunny."

Jimmy seemed more troubled by this revelation than when he'd revealed his secret prophecy. "You know...we always suspected it had all been a plot. The articles, the sleeping spell, the storm."

Draco frowned and reached out to gently cover the brunette's hand with his own." I'm sure you'll find the ones responsible. Black's worse than a bloodhound."

Jimmy managed a smile and sighed. His hand twisted in Draco's until it was gripping the blond's securely. "I hope you're right. I don't want to consider the possibilty of the Potters being hunted all over again."

"I promise to figure out who was behind it all and put a stop to anyone else trying to hurt you."

Jimmy smiled sincerely this time and leaned forward on the table."You're the best Dray. I'm glad I have you in my life."

"Aren't we all?" Draco replied, not feeling the arrogance in his tone as Jimmy's eyes shone in the low light. _God, butis he gorgeous._

Oh merlin, did he just think that! Bloody hell...

A glimmer of silver spilled from behind Jimmy's thin peasant shirt and took the blond's mind off of his own treacherous thoughts. "Whats that there?"

Jimmy rose a brow, looking down, then grinned. "My most prized possession. Remus gave it to me as a baby and I've never taken it off since." He toyed with the silver moon pendant fondly before regarding him puzzled. " I'm surprised you barely noticed it."

"Well, you never wore shirts open so much, and its not as if we shared the same showers." Draco answered, then blushed.

Jimmy smirked and only now did Draco realize they were inches from eachother. When had he leaned forward as well? When had Jimmy's eyes become so beautifully green? When had he grown to love the warmth that pulsed off the brunette's skin? When had he started to admit these things to himself?

"So whats your story?"

Draco jerked back with a gasp, ripping himself from the trance. "What?"

"You said if I told you about the palm-reading, you'd tell me an equally revealing story. So come on, spill." Jimmy leaned back as well, laying his arms across his lap.

Draco stammered for a bit, trying to recall such a promise. But Jimmy's eyes bore into him and his tongue began to betray his mind. He owed Jimmy as much and if he was honest with himself, he had the perfect story in mind that needed to be told.

"When I was a young boy, my father took me into his study and set me in his chair. He told me he was going to tell me a story. A story about a boy, just like me, who had a family that was rich and powerful." Draco's eyes glazed over as he recalled the memory. The windows had been filled with bright light from a snowy day. It had been his tenth birthday. " He told me this boy was the last in the line of great wizards. The boy's father and family knew he would uphold the name without trouble..."

Jimmy's brow creased as he listened quietly.

"My father told me I was the boy in the story...then he gave me a box. He told me to not open it until I was seventeen. But later that day I hid in the garden and opened it.Inside was a silver ring and I recognized it from my mother's jewlery case. It had been her engagment ring, passed down on her side of the family. It wasn't until I was at Hogwarts for two years that I realized what the ring meant...It was for my fiance. At seventeen, I was meant to be married, ensuring the survival of the Malfoy line."

Jimmy's eyes seemed to echo some of the shock and astonishment that had filled him that very day. The bitterness rose in Draco's throat and he couldn't stop himself from reliving that terrible moment when he realized his entire life had been already been decided since the day of his birth.

He had been with a boy then, too.

"Jesus, Draco..."

The boy shook his head resolutely and produced something shiny from beneath his shirt. "I refused to give in. I suppose I always wanted to rebel, I just didn't know when or how...It was Potter who ended up setting me free. Ironic, really. I had hated him so entirely, so blindly...because he was what I wanted to be. No one telling me who I had to be, no one demanding I be something I wasn't. Just to be my own person was worth betraying my father and killing him."

Jimmy's hand wove into his once more and Draco began to cherish the gesture. "You ARE that person, Draco. You've always been your own person."

"I've been a monster."

Jimmy squeezed his hand tighter and the blond failed to notice the shimmer in his eyes." You are an angel."

Long moments passed as those words echoed throughout Draco's ears...Draco Malfoy was alot of things and been called most of them throughout his life. But never once had anyone said he was an angel.

His brain unable to handle anything else, Draco shoved himself to his feet, muttered about a headache and escaped to the wash room where he silenced his confusion in a vial of Dreamless Sleep.

- - - - -

Draco awoke a few hours later and found the hut swathed in darkness. Consulting his still functional wristwatch, it was barely past ten. His limbs were rested but his soul was restless. He knew Jimmy slept only a few feet away, and if he just-

No!

Draco got to his feet and walked straight past the closed door. He needed to get out. Just, walk around for a bit. Maybe that would clear his head. So, grabbing his wand from the bookcase and a cloak left behind from the late home-owner, he started out the door into the night.

The sky was torrent with rain and leaves and rocks were swirling in the raging winds. His mother used to call weather like this _le bise de dragon_... "the dragon's kiss." She liked to think passionate things about dragons and their love. He supposed it had all been just to embarrass him.

But now experiencing the horrible storm that had attacked the little island with ferocious intensity, Draco had to admit his mother's little eupheisms weren't far from the truth.

A flash of lightning made Draco duck for cover as it lashed down and struck a nearby tree. Flames erupted, but quickly drowned in the downpour. Maybe venturing out during a violent storm was a bad idea. Draco looked round him, realizing he'd somehow ended up at the outcrop of rocks where he'd seen the Lethifold disappear.

Aha! His chance!

Draco brandished his wand and crept cautiously around the boulders, inching his way into the cave that rocks created.

The ceiling was low and the space barely wide enough for Draco to walk normally. His heart thudded in his chest at the constant boom of thunder echoed off the stone walls and the threatening darkness ahead of him. He murmured a weak form of Lumos and prepared his happiest memory. A black shadow formed in the corner of the cave and Draco held his breath.

Shifting his light to briefly stun the creature, Draco was shocked to discover the black pile not a Lethifold, but a Lethifold's droppings. Curious.

Bending down by the pile, he prodded it with the end of a nearby branch that the wind had blown in. Yes, no doubt about it. That was human bone's ash. The texture and color giving it away. But the Lethifold wasn't due to finish digestion for another day. The ash still had a bit of color to it, so clearly there were still minerals to be had. Why would it deficate early?

A breath caught in Draco's throat and he turned to race full out back to the hut. Wind lashed at his face and rain soaked his clothes. The darkness seemed to be sucking in the landscape ahead of him, purposely taking the hut along with it. The storm blew him in circles, a merciless laughter hidden in the vicious gale. His eyes stung and his skin was battered raw by the time the sight of the little wooden house came into view.

Draco scrambled up the muddy slope, his feet slipping over smooth stones and thick patches of sticky mud. He ran round the side of the house and burst through the front door. The silence was eerie and there held an imposing tension in the hut's air. Something pushed him onward, as if drawn to the small bedroom at the end of the hall.

His fingers pushed at the ajar door and his eyes frantically adjusted to the new darkness shrouding the room. A coldness swept over his already chilled bones and Draco instinctively rose his wand.

"_Lumos._"

A screech filled the room and Draco only had moments to scramble for an image of his mother stringing beads for their christmas tree before he shouted."_ Expecto Patronum _!"

A flash of white light erupted from his wand and only momentarily stunned the Lethifold. Jimmy was sitting bolt upright in bed, his eyes flashing in the wake of Draco's Patronus. It hadn't been enough. The creature was recovering and it was furious. He had only seconds left. His mother wouldn't do it this time. Not anymore. He needed something else. Something stronger.

Jimmy's mouth screamed at him to move as he struggled to get to his wand. And Draco knew. He couldn't deny it any longer...

Jimmy's smile. Jimmy's eyes. Jimmy's hands in his own. Jimmy's skin beneath his fingers. Jimmy screaming out his name in a fit of passion. Jimmy being his and only his."_EXPECTO PATRONUM _!"

A magnificent creature strung of pure white light burst from Draco's wandtip. It flapped its powerful wings and reared back its spiked head to reveal rows of sharp teeth. The Lethifold cowered as the dragon flapped menacingly before it, roaring its strength and power as its talons grabbed threateningly at the air. The black creature was cowed into the corner before the dragon leapt upon it and consumed the beast in a world of light. The screeches of terror were lost in the thundering air. Soon, the dragon vanished and what was left behind was nothing but a smoldering old cloak.

Draco flew across the room, dropping his wand in the process, and scooped Jimmy into his arms. The boy clung to him, his face pressed into his neck. "You're ok. You're safe. You're ok."

Jimmy fisted his shirt in his hands, his body trembling with shock. "Oh my god, Draco...It almost...oh my god..."

Draco sat there, rocking Jimmy back and forth, until both their heartbeats calmed and their gasps of horror ebbed away. And he would've stayed there forever, too. But he still wasn't ready to admit some things about himself. So he told Jimmy to go take a warm bath while he did something about the dead Lethifold.

He could hear the running of water coming from the wash room now and images came unbidden into his mind. Draco busied himself by levitating the Lethifold into a specialized box he had brought with him. Of course, he hadn't counted on taking the entire creature with him, so the box had to be enlarged.

But after that was done and the box lay harmlessly on the kitchen table, Draco was still haunted by images he had no reason to be imagining.

He sat in the center of the mattress, a huge fat pillow he'd conjured earlier that week propped up behind him. His thoughts continued to stray, no matter how hard he tried to meditate. His hands were shaking and he couldn't seem to breathe properly.

All he saw was the powerful Patronus he'd conjured and the memory that produced it. By all logic and rules, it wasn't really a memory, now was it. A sick sort of feeling crept into Draco's stomach and he hugged himself as it started to overpower his well-crafted denial.

His world was caving in around him. Everything he knew, everything he worked diligently to become since he was a child, it was all crumbling in the blinding light of the Patronus. The dragon clawed at his barriers, shredded his defenses, and demolished his last threads of sanity.

Something in him snapped. Lucius' voice warbled and broke like a record smashed on the ground. Narcissa's cooing faded into the recesses of his mind, giving light to things he had long since refused to admit. And Jimmy...Jimmy's warm laughter joined with his mother's, and he saw them lounging in the Sun Room, sharing chocolate bananas and secrets.

A tear escaped down his pale cheek and his entire body ached. He just couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't. Lucius was dead and so was Narcissa. He didn't have to hide anymore.

The door quietly creaked as Jimmy stepped in and he never looked more beautiful. His ebony locks hung heavy with water, his cheeks were lightly flushed and his skin glistened with a few stray drops of water. He wore only a thin pair of beige sleeping pants and a fluffy towel hung round his neck.

The uproar in Draco's head only tripled, causing him to sink his forehead into his hands to try and quiet it all. Jimmy moved over with a soft frown and kneeled infront of the blond. Draco's senses filled with the fresh scent of tea leaves and jasmine and his eyes stung.

A few fingers tenderly pushed aside his bangs while more tilted his head up and cradled his cheek . Draco stared into Jimmy's jade eyes and felt his heart throb as the brunette placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Then another just to the side of the bridge of his nose. And as Jimmy pulled away to leave his lips fractions from Draco's, the blond felt the screaming in his mind take physical form and tear away at his insides.

He threw his arms round the brunette's neck and hugged him desperately. Jimmy clutched him just as tightly, his body spreading warmth all over Draco's cold skin. Infact, he was burning. Everywhere Jimmy touched burned and flamed the dormant parts inside him.

Jimmy pulled away once more, and this time, Draco didn't stop it.

Soft lips covered his own and Draco Malfoy savored the kiss he'd been waiting for since he first saw this brunette that night on the North Tower. It was like the breath of life, that kiss was. Breathing life into his dead heart.

Jimmy shifted to straddle him, his arms curling tighter round the blond's body as he sighed into the kiss. How badly he had wanted this. Just to feel Jimmy's lips and teeth and body. _Please, God, let this last. Let me forget for just a little bit._

His shirt was eased from his shoulders and calloused fingers traced patterns on his pale skin. Unable to contain himself, his own hands explored the warm body above him. Oh, it was like heaven. Every inch of Jimmy was smooth and long. He could feel every movement the boy made, his muscles undulating beneath that tan skin. Draco absently noticed that his bruised rib had completely healed.

Then Jimmy's lips parted from his and reattached themselves onto Draco's neck. The blond rolled his head back as those lips did sinful things to his throat. He felt his trousers being eased off and he vaguely wondered if there was going to be teeth marks the next morning.

Suddenly, bare flesh spread out across his and Draco looked back down to see Jimmy astride him, a dark need in his eyes.

"Jimmy..."

"I need you Draco."

Those four words were all he needed to banish concerns and inhibitions. All he needed to forget about worrying for tomorrow and just indulge in something he truly wanted; Jimmy.

The brunette muttered some spell or another, Draco couldn't hear. He was too busy sighing as Jimmy's free hand trickled up and down his pelvis. Then he was gently eased back onto his elbows and granted the magnificent view of Jimmy straddling his hips and slowly lowering himself down. Draco released a hiss of breath between his teeth, shuttering as hot tightness wrapped round his aching member. Jimmy's face twisted in pain, but he bit back any noise and started to lift himself up and down slowly. Draco's eyes held the brunette's and he witnessed a million different emotions flash across them before settling on one clear as day; Love.

Draco gripped onto Jimmy's hips, tilting his head back as the boy's teeth nibbled over sweet spots and finally sank in. He gasped at the terrible pleasure, at a loss as to how Jimmy made such a painful act feel as if he had slipped into a warm bathe.

He soon lost himself to sensation. Jimmy's sweaty skin slipping against his, tight muscles flexing beneath fingertips, swollen lips kissing away incoherent words. His eyes became drunk as he watched Jimmy undulate above him, his back arching each time he lifted up. The boy's head rolled back to lean against his shoulder, his hands gripping Draco's thighs. His lips were parted as he gasped and panted, his eyes mere emerald slits in the face of ecstasy. His hair a sexed mess as bits strayed into his vision.

It was more than Draco could ever ask for.

His fingers wove round Jimmy's bobbing erection and stroked cries of delight and an orgasm from the boy. Jimmy thrashed himself down harder, pinning Draco'swristsabove his headas he devoured the blond hungrily. He felt as if Jimmy was trying to suck out his soul, and he very well could have. A pressure built up in Draco and he was spilling his release before he had time to stall it. Jimmy's lips never slowed, nor did his hands cease exploring. And beneath those skilled touches and hot kisses, Draco was brought to ecstasy again and again.

All night long.

- - - - -

Streaks of sunshine broke their way through the wooden blinds of the room, rousing Draco. He opened his eyes groggily, mildly surprised to feel something soft against his chest. Looking down, he saw Jimmy curled up into the mattress, flat on his stomach, sleeping more soundly than a sleeping draught could induce.

Perhaps that was when things began to click in his head. It seemed honestly silly to never have noticed it before. It was so blatant. A blob of black scrawled across an expanse of tan. But there it was. A black dragon tattoo on Jimmy's right shoulder blade.

It was then that a bit of their previous conversation trickled into his thoughts like a fuzzy recording.

"'True love will come in the eyes of dragon'... In any case, I took it to heart. What can I say? I was thirteen and gullible. But I did take a souvenir with me to remind me of it forever."

Was it even possible? This was the souvenir he'd spoken of? A dragon tattoo?...Wait..._dragon_..

Draco blinked and sat up as a dawning horror spread across his mind. Dragon...Chinese Fireballs...le bise de dragon..._Draco_...

No. No it couldn't be. That was absurd. How could some crackpot muggle actually be able to predict a moment like this? No, it was just some strange coincidence. Draco didn't believe in fate. It was un-Malfoy...

Pushing himself to the edge of the mattress, Draco took a moment to let that sink in. _Un-Malfoy. _He had obligations he was still expected to maintain. His grandfather was very clear about that. There wasn't any room in a Malfoy's life for destinies or risks... or love.

Getting up, he noticed a glitter of metal from the edge of the mattress. After bending down to scoop it up, he idly remembered to wrap a towel round his waist before walking out the door.

"Dray?"

His feet led him to the front door and he stepped out into the rain, feeling it fall against his skin like warm teardrops. Hmm. So the sky was crying for him huh? He didn't need anything crying for him. He could do just fine on his own.

"Draco? What're you doing out there? Come back in before you get sick."

Grey eyes raised to the grey sky, absently wondering what on earth that speck of white was. The wind stung his face a bit and the rain had by now drenched him, but he didn't care. Nor did he start when the white speck became a snowy white owl who dropped a satchel at his feet and flew off.

Peering into the leather satchel, he saw a brief note and a silver ring.

"_Figured you'd trust this if nothing else.  
__Get home quick.  
__-Harry."_

Draco considered the ring before remembering why it looked so familiar. It was the one he kept locked away in a drawer of his study at the Manor. How Potter had gotten ahold of it, or known what it had meant, left Draco baffled. But then again, Harry Potter always knew things people suspected he didn't.

The ring shone as brilliantly silver as the first day he'd gazed upon it. A slender dragon as the band itself, his mouth opened wide to engulf a glittering enchanted jewel that was embedded in its tail...It resembled Jimmy's tattoo...

"Draco?"

He turned to see Jimmy standing in the doorway, a blanket hugging his frame like a gown, his face worried but curious."Put some clothes on. We're going home."

Draco would've liked to have ripped off that offending blanket and ravaged the sexy boy all over the porch, but his heart was closing and reality was taking its place.

Soon, they were dressed and standing in the middle of the hut with all their things. Draco clutched a cool metal necklace in his hand, but he wasn't about to let it go. Not yet. Jimmy looked like he wanted to say something, but he never got the chance.

"When we go back, nothings changed. You're still a Potter and I'm still a Malfoy."

The boy's face paled, a look of horror spreading across beautiful emerald. Draco slipped the ring onto Jimmy's finger, absently noting the jewel turning the same color as its wearer's eyes, and grimaced as a familiar tug at his navel jerked him away from an old woman's prophecy and towards his real life.

tbc...


	18. Priorities

Hullo Gentle Readers!

One more chapter coming your way. I won't stall it any longer than need be. ENJOY AND REVIEW!

* * *

**Priorities**

+ Linkin Park My December +  
+ Promise Ring+

Obligations were always a part of Draco Malfoy's life. Yes, he always got what he wanted, one way or another, but they were at a price. He was a Malfoy, afterall. His parents had put extreme standards on his life, and even though they passed on, Draco felt some twisted sense of obligation to live up to those standards.  
That was until he gave his mind, body and soul to Jimmy Potter.  
Could he really go through with his obligations to the Malfoy name? Could he really listen to his Grandfather and...forget Jimmy?  
A lonely snow covered day in Malfoy Manor lets Draco think about the past and his future;  
Duty or Choice? Fortune or Love?  
Family or Jimmy?

* * *

The pair landed with a hard thud and found themselves, surprisingly enough, inside the Ministry's portkey cubicles. Loud voices came from behind the curtain, one angry, one simpering and trying not to further anger the first, and a third trying to prevent murder between the two prior. 

"...It was an honest mistake, Mr.Potter-"

"Bullshit! This is the last straw Cornelius!"

"Harry, c'mon, if he said it was an accident, it was an accident."

"Who's side are you on anyway!"

"Listen to your friend, Harry-"

"DON'T call me that you incompetent pile of flobberworm dung! I've had it with you and your idiocy. Its caused my brother, my **BROTHER**, to disappear. Mark my words Fudge, this is the end of your career."

"H-harry?"

Draco looked over with surprise to see Jimmy emerging from behind the curtain. Harry wasted no more time on Fudge and hurried to his brother's side, catching the boy as his legs seemingly gave out on him. Potter stared past his twin's head at Draco, too stunned for words.

"He's a right awful mess. Ran into some dragons. Take him to St.Mungo's just to make sure no poison got into his system."

Jimmy struggled to his feet, his eyes searching behind him for the blond, but he was gone.

Draco ducked around the corner, his eyes trained on his muddy leather boots. That was that. Potter would take care of Jimmy from now on, he was always good at taking care of people. Unlike him. Malfoys don't take care of people.

"Mr. Malfoy. Successful trip, I venture?"

Draco looked up to see Head of Programs, Eustace Punickle, heading towards him. "Of course, sir."

The old man looked downright tickled as Draco presented the dead Lethifold contained in a magical bag.

"Hmm. I suppose even if its dead it'll have to do. Get to work straight away then."

Draco nodded and made to leave to the sanctity of his home when Punickle touched his shoulder and regarded him sternly.

"You're my favorite, Mr. Malfoy. I'm not ashamed to admit it. So trust that I will not condone this sort of behavior in the future. I'm sure your grandfather will agree."

"Sir?"

"Potters are off limits under penalty of life in Azkaban. Do I make myself clear?"

The cold look of his dark eyes, the clenched line of his jaw, the crackle of malevolent magical energy...

"Crystal, sir."

"Very well. Off you go. Perhaps a shower is in order before you face the day. You do look something dreadful, Mr.Malfoy. Appearances ARE everything."

Draco watched him leave, an emptiness settling into his stomach and a silver pendant weighing heavier in his hand.

- - - - -

Draco roused from his nap, glancing out his bay windows to see the land surrounding Malfoy Manor blanketed in brilliant white snow.

When had he dozed off? Curious.

The blond stretched lazily, shifting his thick potions theory book off his lap and crossed the room to gaze out the window. It felt good to be back home. He knew who he was when he was here.

Dressed in black tailored slacks, silk beige shirt and designer vest, he knew he was in his element. He wore elegant clothes, he spoken elequently, he read rare tomes, he possessed the most power of any wizard alive.

The manor was his, the land was his, the village was his, the world was his.

But it no longer meant anything.

Draco strode from his study, making his way through the manor towards the south wing. There happened to be a lovely stretch of hallway that was open to the air, letting fragrant breezes filter throughout the castle.

Today, Draco crossed it and felt as if he were floating in the snowy sky. Little snowflakes fluttered across his path and kissed his pale skin. It would've made him happy had it not been for the fact that he was no longer capable of such a thing.

From the open corridor, he passed down perhaps one of his least favorite halls. It was extremely long and was the only route to the south passages. Lucius' greatest achievements in grounding into Draco's head the importance of their heritage.

Poised up on the walls like a line of executioners, were every single Malfoy to date. Draco quickened his pace, keeping his gaze ahead of him. He wouldn't show fear, he wouldn't show anything. It only encouraged them.

He felt their icy, impassive eyes following his every move, whispers from men long since dead criticizing everything about him, as they always did when he came this way.

"Bit too slender..."

"Look at the way he walks..."

"Always knew that Lucius would sire a fag..."

"Hair too long..."

"Too weak..."

"Too pale..."

"Too..."

"Too..."

"Too..."

Draco heaved himself past the last portrait, a sneering replica of his very own father, and slammed the heavy door behind him. Pressing himself against it, he allowed himself a few moments to regain himself. How many more times would he have to endure that before they said good things?

Draco pushed away from the door and walked through the archway that opened up into the Sun Room; his mother's favorite place.

The entire room was made of glass and a large oak tree was planted outside next to it to shade most of the room during the summer. But now the oak was nothing more than a skeleton and the room was bitterly cold. Father had locked this end of the manor after mother died.

Littered round the circular room were various tables and nightstands adorned with music boxes and potted plants. Draco walked over to a gold watercan and filled it from the tap in the corner, then set to watering the dying flowers his mother used to dote on with loving care. Somehow, he'd managed to keep them alive, though the loss of their mommy weighed heavy on their enchanted petals.

The snow glittered against the glass as dim light from the overcast sky shined through it in brief periods. Draco collapsed into his mother's chair and willed himself to believe it still smelled of her. Sunflowers, like her favorite flower. Her childhood home in France used to be covered with them.

Such a hopeful flower in the face of the dreary life she'd grow to live. Oh, but she got out, didn't she? They both did. Leaving Draco to deal with everything by himself. He hadn't been ready, regardless of the endless training since he was a child. He was going to be twenty in two weeks. Three years past the deadline his father assumed for him.

"The ring!" Draco gasped as he realized he'd left it on Jimmy's finger. Perhaps a suiting place, given the fact he wasn't going to use his mother's cherished ring to ensnare a horrible wife. He'd rather die than see that ring on some ugly woman's pudgy finger.

He blamed Jimmy Potter for his newfound outlook on the female populus. The very thought of coupling with one repulsed him now. But he strappingly faked it when out in Malfoy Village or in Knockturn Alley selling off various of his father's assets. He had to keep up appearances.

Shaking the memories of that steamy night three days ago, Draco stood and beckoned the house elf, Mopsy, forward from her seemingly invisible spot behind the statue of Venus.

"Fetch my winter cloak, gloves and scarf." Draco ordered, crossing to the door that opened into the back garden. The elf nodded vigrously and moments later, scurried forward with two more elves, his things in hand.

After tucking the scarf beneath his cloak, Draco stepped out into the snowy day. He pulled the hood over his pale hair and walked aimlessly amoung the labyrinth of waist high shrubbery and black trees. Only an occasional water fountain would let him know how far his progress had gotten.

It was nice. The silence was comforting and the gentle murmur of the snow falling eased his strained nerves. His black boots crunched in the new snow and just the peacefulness of the moment allowed Draco's thoughts to stray onto one of his favorite daydreams.

It had come to him the night his mother died and had never left him. Though the Lethifold attack caused it to change, it was still the happiest thought he could ever hope to have.

The image of his mother and Jimmy sitting in the bright Sun Room, giggling and sipping their tea like there was not a care in the world, was burned in his memory. He cultivated it carefully, adding slight details everytime he allowed himself to come back to that moment.

Now, they would be eating white raspberry cookies to go with the iced tea, and mother would still be sitting with her legs crossed, her yellow shoe poking out from under her skirts. She would still be wearing her white and yellow sundress, her favorite string of pearls and her long pale blond hair swept up in a bun. Jimmy would still be in a half unbuttoned white shirt that was rolled at the sleeves and left untucked from his white slacks. His eyes would still twinkle happily, innocently, as he laughed at whatever mother had said last. But now, his finger was adorned with a silver dragon ring.

They would turn to look at him standing in the garden doorway, and smile warmly at him, as if they'd been waiting forever for him to come.

He had yet to walk into the room. Because that place wasn't meant for him. It was only for Narcissa and Jimmy. They were the only ones worthy of the Sun Room.

Blinking back tears, Draco gave a shaky sigh and turned back towards the Manor. The light in the sky had faded by now and he wondered exactly how long he'd been out here thinking. He was quite cold by now and his stomach grumbled noisily. Obviously VERY long.

He trekked inside the kitchen entrance, not wanting to tred snow all over the Sun Room's carpets, and motioned for a few elves to take his wet things.

"Master Malfoy has come to visit, he has. Waiting in the library he is." Mopsy twittered in her high pitched voice.

Draco arched a brow, slipping off his boots and padded through the kitchens, dining room and ballroom into Lucius' library. "Grandfather?"

A man of about a hundred turned from the window and gazed with cold grey eyes at his grandson. "Draco. Walking around barefoot again, I see."

Draco crossed onto the warm carpet and shook his grandfather's hand."My boots were wet."

"Then fetch a new pair, you know better than to look anything less than perfect. Even if you're at home."

"Yes, sir," Draco murmured and bowed.

Tallen Malfoy Senior settled back into Lucius' well oiled leather chair and gazed upon the boy before him as if appraising a show dog. "You're taller than most Malfoys. But too pretty. Men aren't supposed to be pretty. I suppose that was your mother's doing."

Draco kept quiet as he stood calmly next to his father's desk lamp.

"Do you know why I am here Draco?"

It seemed to be a test of some sort. Everything was always a test with this man."To deposit my birthday gift before flying off with another ex-wife?"

The man's lip twitched and Draco knew he might've crossed some lines, but it really had just come tumbling out. He was twenty. Grandfather couldn't continue to treat him like a child.

"Respectful guess, but no. It IS about your birthday, however." Here, the man took a strange pause. He never took pauses. It was like he hadn't been born with indecision, he always knew what to say." I take it your father never told you anything about his will."

"No, sir. He never spoke of it. Liked to believe he'd live forever."

Tallen looked stern," No more cheek from you. I suspect that Punickle allows this sort of slack tongue, but I do not. Now straighten up, this is of most importance to the Malfoy line."

Draco sighed to himself and stood up straight. When wasn't ANYTHING not about the all important Malfoy line?

Malfoy Senior produced a faded roll of parchment from his cloak which he still wore, even though the Manor was at a comfortable 73 degrees throughout. "This is your father's will. He left it in my vault at Malfoy Chateau for safe keeping. It concerns your inheritance."

Draco allowed his eyebrow to quirk slightly, his face more or less left in indifference.

"It says here that Draconus Lucius Malfoy will inherit all of the Malfoy estate upon Lucius Malfoy's death."

Draco feigned surprise, even though he already knew all this. Wow, big surprise, Lucius left him money.

"However..." Tallen's lip curved into a malicious sort of smile." The only condition of this is that you, _Draconus_, marry your betrothed by the second decade of your life."

Here, Draco was actually surprised. His betrothed? Father never mentioned anything about a betrothed.

"But seeing as Pansy Parkinson died before that could happen, I have taken the liberty of arranging another betrothed for you. A nice pureblood girl."

Tallen's face was twisted with satisfaction at the horror scrawled across Draco's face.

"You can't be serious! An arranged marriage! Thats barbaric!" Draco yelled, his docile manner gone in face of marrying a complete stranger. Probably one of those ugly women he had been avoiding.

"You will lower your voice and speak to me in a civil tongue. I am not one of your mates you can toss around. I am your grandfather and you will give me the respect I deserve or I will rip this paper to shreds and deny you the inheritance." Tallen barked, standing to his full height.

Draco blanched and eyed the will, it now looking considerably more frail. "Please, Grandfather. I apologize."

"I should hope so." Tallen growled and readjusted his fur cloak. "I shall leave this with you so you can better situate yourself with its contents. Now, I must take my leave. The school governors are holding an important meeting and I must be there. "

Draco was going to leave it at that, but he had to ask." If I don't do this. Don't get married to this girl, what will happen?"

A sick smile crossed Tallen's face, and he seemed all too pleased with himself." Why, you'll lose everything."

"Everything?" Draco mumbled, trying to grasp the enormity of that word.

"The Manor, the money, the name.** Everything**. You'll be nothing more than a penniless, pastless orphan from nowhere." Tallen smiled again."Happy Birthday Draco."

The boy stared numbly at the door as it closed. His mind couldn't comprehend what was happening, though his heart had known it all along. His father was vindictive to his last moment, why would his last will and testament be any different? He must've known about Draco's preferences, all those sleepovers with Blaise and Theodore were too obvious. Maybe Blaise...? No. NO. Blaise would never do that to him. His family hadn't been affected by the war, he'd have no reason...But then again, Lucius got whatever he wanted, didn't he? That includded a heterosexual son.

Draco's jaw clenched as he strode from the library into the adjoining office.

It even smelled of him. Pipe tobacco and thick musk. He could see the man sneering at him from behind his grand desk, his reading spectacles perched on the tip of his pointy nose...He would demand the reason for such a rude intrusion and Draco would force out a response...He had asked to be tucked in one time, and another he'd wanted a goodbye kiss because mother was taking him to Paris.

Every time the man had denied him anything. Anything that wasn't power or money. He got plenty of those...Like now. Lucius offered him no comfort, no life of love, no little bit of joy in a desolate existence...Just endless vaults and all the power in the world. As if that made up for the fact that he was a shotty father figure.

His portrait stared down at him, his stony eyes as cruel and pointed as ever. Bile rose in Draco's throat as he stared at the man he had called father for his entire life...This man was supposed to protect him and make sure he was happy. But he'd forced Draco into a corner, and took away his ONLY comfort in life; his mother. Then, without even knowing he had, Lucius took from him the last vestage of hope he'd managed to scrape for himself; Jimmy.

He'd stood before Draco not as a father, but as an adversary facing down a weak enemy.

Draco remembered the power that had raged through him that night in Greenland. It made his veins throb and his heart ache. With his mother's screaming breath ringing in his ears, he had slaughtered that man...Draco remembered the feeling of death on his fingertips. It had been exhilarating and terrifying. It was that day he knew he could never go back.

It was the reason why he would never be allowed inside the Sun Room. He was a murderer. A monster.

And Lucius made him that.

With an animalistic howl, Draco raced forward and tore the painting from the wall. He jumped on it and kicked it and ripped at the canvas till it was shredded bits across the floor. But he didn't stop there. He watched himself, as if in slow motion, tear every picture hanging up and threw them everywhere. He swiped the desk clean of immaculate papers and ancient records. He smashed the antique clock from China with the chair from Mongolia. He crashed the fine crystal statuines from Holland into the walls and upended the desk from Alaska. He bashed the nightstands out the tall window and crashed the lamps into the pile of broken desk pieces. From there, he added another broken chair to the burning pile and managed to collapse the huge grandfather clock ontop of the flames.

As his final act of violence, Draco grabbed the glass case that housed his family tree and smashed it onto the floor. Grabbing another lamp and a burning chair leg, he threw the lot ontop of the tapestry and watched it catch fire and slowly begin to wilt.

The edges blackened, the names turned bright red and a burst of magical energy exploded from the fabric as centuries of Malfoys screamed out all at once.

Draco stumbled backwards and sank to his hands and knees. Hot tears flowed down his cheeks and he only vaguely noticed the searing pain in his palms rip up his arms. The flames licked hot paths along his back and suddenly little hands were dragging him away.

Draco looked up into the terrified eyes of most of Malfoy Manor's house elves. He could feel the fire grow behind him but he no longer cared. Getting to his feet, Draco nodded to Mopsy who he trusted the most. "Let it burn. Stop it when it reaches the South Wing."

Mopsy nodded nervously, her blue eyes wide with fright.

Draco walked out of the burning office, house elves backing away from him as if he were on fire himself. He padded down the grey carpeted hallway in a trance, unknowingly leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Once in the West Wing, his rooms, Draco wandered into the glamorous white marble bathroom and perched himself on the edge of the porcelain bathtub.

Hotwater poured from the gold faucet, but Draco neither heard nor felt it. His feet stung painfully before going numb as they were submerged in a few inches of hot water. His hands he held beneath the faucet before each shard of glass was pushed from his skin.

Draco stared with a blank look as the water rose and spilled over the side of the tub; His white marble floors stained red.

- - - - -

It was late the next night that a bell echoed throughout Malfoy Manor. Draco sent Mopsy, who hadn't wanted to leave his side since the fire, to answer the door and was shocked to see her return alone.

"Who was it Mopsy?" Draco inquired blandly, his eyes raising from Lucius' will.

"Sir requests Master's presence in the foyer, he does." Mopsy answered, hopping from foot to foot." Said it was urgent, he did."

"Who is it? Is it Grandfather?"

"No. Sir is younger. Much younger, if Master excuses Mopsy. And dark haired. Handsome too, he was."

Draco's stomach plummeted. He wobbled to his feet, which were still sore even after house elf remedies, and followed Mopsy down from his chambers into the entrance foyer.

"Came old fashioned way he did. Front door. Curious it is. Very curious." Mopsy commented conversationally and hopped ahead of Draco.

At the sight of Jimmy Potter standing next to a roaring fireplace made a stitch tug painfully in his gut.

"Master is here, Sir. Would Sir like tea? Perhaps cocoa?"

Jimmy shook his head and instead walked purposefully over to Draco. He seemed to be clutching a paper in his hand and looked all but ready to cry. "I need to speak to you. Alone."

Draco dismissed Mopsy and turned to sit down on the couch." Problems?"

Jimmy whirrled around and slapped him hard across the face.

Draco was so stunned, he didn't even have the sense to register pain.

"You put me through fucking HELL and then you expect me to put up with your cheek! News flash Draco! I'm not one of your god damn whores you can throw money at and shove out the door!"

Draco shook his head, forcing his Malfoy indifference to guide him through this painful experience." What on Earth are you shouting about now?"

"THIS!" Jimmy yelled and shoved a paper under his nose.

Draco took the paper and unrolled it, finding it was the _Daily Prophet_. Scrawled across the front page as top news was "**Malfoy Manor Burns! Village In Shock!**"

"THEN I get this letter from you saying you're sorry for all the inconvience you've caused me, but you can no longer have me as your _aquaintance_. But oh no, Master Malfoy didn't stop there! He sends a big bulking bag of money--TWO THOUSAND GALLEONS TO BE EXACT-- and a note saying he hopes this will be sufficient to aid my suffering!"

Jimmy was livid. His eyes were flashing and his arms were waving wildly and he kept on pacing and Draco was having a difficult time following. "Wait...what letter? What money? What're you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid now Prince of the Universe! If a fuck was all you wanted, you could've just TOLD me! I'm not some sentimental girl who can't handle her own panties! Why didn't you just TELL me!"

Draco jumped from his seat, outrage on his lips." I don't do things like that!"

Jimmy violently shook a piece of parchment in his fist, presumably the letter," Then what the fuck is this!"

Draco ripped the letter from Jimmy's hand and smoothed it out as best he could. From the looks of it, the paper had been through alot. Between rips and crumpling and more crumpling, it also looked like the words had been blotted with tears. That alone made Draco's defenses weaken.

He read the words that more or less said exactly what Jimmy had just screamed at him. "I didn't write this."

Jimmy blinked, as if he suspected but didn't want to believe." It looks exactly like your handwriting."

The blond narrowed his eyes and held the letter up to the light." No. You see here? There's no dragon emblem. All my stationary has a dragon emblem embedded into the paper itself. Helps to avoid forgery." Draco looked over to see Jimmy staring at the floor, his shoulders shaking. "Jimmy?"

"I-I almost believed...all those things...you didn't want me..."

Draco watched as Jimmy collapsed onto the couch, his head in his hands. A glint caught his eye and he realized the brunette was still wearing the dragon ring.

It looked so beautiful wrapped round Jimmy's slender left middle finger.

"Jimmy...I..."

The boy looked up, his green eyes ringed with red and only now did Draco notice just how exhausted he looked.

"Just tell me the truth. Even if the letter wasn't authentic, was what it said true?...You don't want me?"

It sounded so final. So distressing. So vulgar. So disturbing. So..._wrong_. Draco's silence proved to be enough of an answer since Jimmy looked back down. Grandfather's voice began to echo in his head like a broken record. _You'll be nothing more than a penniless, pastless orphan from nowhere. _He would no longer be Draco Malfoy. He wouldn't live like a Malfoy and do Malfoy things...He didn't know any other way to be. _Potters are off limits under penalty of Obliviation_..._You'll be nothing more than a penniless, pastless orphan from nowhere._

"No. No I don't want you."

Jimmy's lips curved in a pain-filled smile and he looked back up, tears shimmering in the firelight. He nodded a bit and rose to his feet in one elegant movement. His leg was healed. Draco stared in a dazed manner as Jimmy slipped something from his finger and held it out to him.

"Meant to give it to you earlier..." A gentle clink came from metal on glass and Jimmy turned on his heel, striding towards the door which Mopsy quickly opened for him.

"Jimmy."

The boy paused, his back tense. But there were no words. Nothing of any consequence came to Draco's mouth. What did he expect, really? That at such a crucial point in time, he would know what to say?

"There's always a light at the end of the tunnel... but it could always be an oncoming express train."

Jimmy looked over his shoulder, tears trickling down his cheeks as he smiled sadly. "Story of my life."

Draco watched him leave and knew it would be the last time he would see young Jimmy Potter.

"Would Master like a sherry?"

Draco nodded and followed Mopsy back into his chambers, a row of sherry bottles and oblivion waiting for him.

And as he lay sprawled out on the carpet hours later, a bottle in his hand and the fake letter in the other, he tried to go back to his favorite daydream.

Mother was giggling pleasantly and Jimmy was throwing his head back, shaking with laughter...But didn't he shake with tears? No! No he was laughing! Laughing!

They looked over and sad smiles spread across their faces as Draco realized the door was slowly closing in his face. Mother lost her glow and Jimmy's eyes ringed with scarlet. They stopped smiling.

"Je prendrai la vie calme. Les amours non durs et aucunes surprises, si vout plait...Silence (1)"

They sang, eyes losing their twinkle to stare at him with sadness.

Draco could do nothing as they slipped away. The house elves watched anxiously from across the room, hearing him sing in delirious inebriation the song mother used to whisper to him as she tucked him in. "Je prendrai la vie calme. Les amours non durs et aucunes surprises, si vout plait...Silence."

And he drifted off to sleep, the french words on his lips, a silver moon pendant glinting between his opened shirt and two laughing figures ghosting away into his darkness. Because Malfoys always knew where their priorities lay. They always knew.

* * *

Translations:

1)" I'll take the quiet life. No hard loves and no surprises please...Silence."


	19. Deny Me

Hullo Gentle Readers!

My my, wasn't that an angsty last chapter? I think we're in dire need of MORE angst! WEE!..don't kill me yet. I don't put my boys through the ringer without atleast having some sort of solution at the end. The happiness will all come in due time my friends. The only way to Heaven is through Purgatory :bows out beforeI get beaned by tomatoes:

ENJOY AND REVIEW!

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**Deny Me...**

+Yeah Yeah Yeahs Maps +  
+ Michelle Branch Tuesday Morning +

Ron Weasley never imagined life would be SO incredibly hard after he became Harry's best friend again. It was one thing being his friend back at Hogwarts, he had never known the sweetness of the brunette's kiss. But after their seaside escapade, the searing kiss under the maple tree, and the morning he woke up with Harry in his arms, Ron finds he can't stand to hide his undying devotion from Harry any longer.

Patience wears thin. Pain increases. Tempers flare. An inevitable climax draws closer.

But will their friendship be able to endure one more blow? The answer comes to them in the unlikely form of Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley.

- - - -

He never thought he'd fall so far. How had it come to this? How had he gotten here? One minute he was a man inlove and now he was somewhere in London, watching as a brown head of hair bobbed up and down on his lap.

He didn't even know this boy's name. He couldn't really recall even his face. All he knew was that he had been charming and eager at the pub, and all too soon, they'd found a cheap hotel to act out moments of passion.

When had Ron Weasley stopped associating pleasure with love? As he closed his eyes against the pressure in his pelvis, he traced the exact moment to three days ago.

- - - - -

It had been two weeks since Harry Potter resigned from the Ministry (a terrifying shock to all) and about four days into Jimmy's sudden disappearance.

Harry was in an uproar. The note Jimmy had sent him validated perhaps a day of his absence, but when no further letters or telyphony calls followed, Harry went berserk. He assumed the worst, of course, and marched straight to the Ministry to demand an explanation.

Ron must've chased after him to every department, trying to dissuede him from strangling the Heads when they admitted they knew nothing. Harry was besides himself with panic and as the days stretched on, he grew worse.

It was late on the fifth day of Jimmy's disappearance that Ron managed to corner Harry at his house and wrangle him into bed. After a heated argument, Harry lost and gave into exhaustion...and Ron's dreamless sleep draught.

He woke up a few hours later and demanded to know just who the hell did Ron Weasley think he was. Ron had straddled him, desperate to get him to calm down and not hurt himself (or Ron for that matter) when Harry had closed up all together.

It wasn't until Ron kissed him that the young man broke to pieces and amidst vehement love-making, Ron heard Harry mutter over and over and over again ,"Don't want to lose you...can't lose you too..."

Ron spent the next two days more or less at the mercy of his best friend's libido. Harry had always been a passionate person, but when his senses were frayed and he saught comfort, there was no stopping him. Ron must've been thrown against every wall, table, desk and bed in Potter Asylum and Black Manor in the course of those two days. Not that he minded. Quite the contrary. Harry, though distracted by his brother's absence, was as conscientious and thorough a lover as ever. And each time they were finished, Harry would hold Ron close and murmur to himself. "I can't lose you...I can't lose you..."

It would be on the seventh day that things would come inevitably crashing down around them. Ron had snuck away from his current project to visit Harry at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, just to make sure the brunette wasn't pining away in that fashion he always did.

Ron found him slumped over the front counter, his long ebony hair in a messy ponytail and a pool of tears inbetween his elbows. Immediately, Ron had comforted him, but Harry did a strange thing. He pushed Ron away.

It didn't seem so strange at the time, but now, Ron wished he had paid more attention to the little signs Harry had been giving him.

Ron chased Harry into the backroom and forced him to talk.

"I can't do this anymore, Ron! I can't!"

"Do WHAT Harry? Hope?"

"That and THIS! What we're doing! I can't lose you again! I can't!"

"You're not going to lose me, Harry! I'm right here! I'm not going anywhere!"

"I can't lose you again! I couldn't handle it again! I COULDN'T!"

"Harry I'm right here!"

Ron crashed his lips against the brunette's and Harry tried three more times to push him off before he gave in, like he always did, and kissed back furiously. There was a desperation in his kiss and his touch. A hitch to his voice as he thrusted inside Ron. A quiver on his lips as he kissed the back of Ron's neck.

And like a violent storm that had passed, so had Harry's love for him. He finished and quickly redressed and demanded that Ron get back to the Ministry.

"What the hell is the matter with you? You can't just shag me and send me on my way!"

"Go to work, Ron! He'll find out."

"WHO! Who will find out!"

"Harry? Ron? Is that you hollering back there?"

Their argument came to a flaming end when Fred walked into the backroom, saying something about a locked door and curious customers hearing screaming from outside.

"Thought someone was dying, by the way they said it," Fred said, his brown eyes casting concern over the younger men.

"They were right, " Ron replied and left the shop without another word.

It was later that day when Harry had cornered him in the Ministry showers. He began apologizing then fell into his usual speechlessness and showed Ron his apology instead. It was the most intense love-making so far. Hot water rained down around them and steam rose up in thick clouds. Harry was slick and gasping and Ron felt the fear deep down inside the brunette.

Unfortunately for them, that was when someone had walked in. They had been in mid orgasm and only too late did they realize they had been caught. Not that whoever it was could've seen the couple. The billows of steam made sure of that. But even so, Harry had been petrified and hurried away, forcing a promise from Ron that they would pretend nothing happened.

Ron promised, but felt his heart breaking all the same. Later that day, he watched as Harry yelled at the Minister at the Portkey Counter and minutes later, Jimmy and Malfoy came tumbling from behind a curtain.

Harry whisked Jimmy off to the hospitol after Malfoy muttered to him, and Punickle seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

"Bit of bad luck, I see." The man had said, making Ron look at him as if he'd grown two more heads. "Faulty portkey, happens sometimes I'm afraid to say. Too too sad."

Ron was at a loss. He'd never grown comfortable with his Head of Department, but to hear him speak in such a casual manner about a WEEK long disappearance of one of his favorite employees and the wizarding world's favorite twin, well, it didn't make him feel warm fuzzy feelings towards the man.

"Move along, Weasley, you've been distracted by this nonsense long enough. If you'll excuse me." Punickle said and swept over to where Malfoy was leaning against a wall, looking as if someone had shot his foot.

Ron stood there for quite a few minutes, stunned. Thats when he escaped to a dark pub in a seedy part of London and met a teenager who was only too willing to kiss away his troubles.

---------

Ron sat on his bed, newspapers and clothes strewn across his floors. Spread and spiling over the edges of his bed were thick dusty tomes (courtesy of the Black Library) through which he was currently perusing for spells on dark anti-love potions. It didn't look hopeful he'd find the exact spell he was searching for after most of his pile had been deduced to five.

But he had to try. He was either going to figure out the reason behind Harry's abrasive behavior was magic or concoct a potion for himself to make himself stop loving the boy. It seemed the only way at this point.

He couldn't handle the emotions running rampade through his body. It had been a constant turmoil going on and he couldn't think properly. Already he'd botched five experiments and turned his lab partner into a gopher for three days straight. Oh sure, they found the guy, but it wasn't without reprocussions. Ron didn't think Emile'd ever get that rodentesque point to his face sorted out.

Then there was Punickle...he was downright scary nowadays. He seemed to be hovering wherever Ron was, dropping in unsuspectingly and asking probing questions bosses weren't supposed to know about their employees. Ron knew Punickle liked to stay ontop of the Unspeakable's lives, but asking whether he was shagging anyone in the showers lately was one step beyond the boss-employee boundries.

But he shouldn't have expected any less. After that article in the _Daily Prophet _ran a few days ago about " **SEX IN THE SHOWERS: MINISTRY OFFICIALS BLOWING THE LID OFF OF CONSERVATISM**" and, what was worse, the incriminating photo of what were obviously two men having sex, Ron's life had been living hell.

It was only because there were alot of redheads around that Ron wasn't outright accused. Apparently, he didn't pass off as gay (oh lucky day) so no one even suspected him of such treachery. But the whispers were just as disturbing as the article itself. "The Weasleys, gay? Surely not." "It DID look an awful lot like a Weasley..." Did you see that red hair! Pureblood red hair that was!" "Surely not..."

It was only by sheer luck that the man in back had been obscured by a cloud of thick steam. Only his arms and thigh could be seen behind Ron...Harry had been VERY lucky indeed. In any case, the boy had all but disappeared from public view. Ron wasn't sure whether he was still working at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, he'd stopped by enough times to confirm that Harry was atleast never there when he showed up. Fred and George refused to say either way.

Punickle had only increased in his incessant presence since that article. Now, it wasn't any secret which political standpoint the Head of Programs took, he made it quite clear on various occasions and in the most loud of voices. ("Those disgusting vermin should be Avada'd for their debauchery.")

So Ron kept his mouth shut. Kept his head down and did his best to put Harry from his mind.He laughed along with his co-workers at suggestive jokes and smiled back whenever a girl batted her eyelashes at him. It sickened him to pretend to be something he wasn't, but risking Punickle firing him and exposing him to the world was one road Ron didn't want to take.

Ron's breath caught in his throat and _Amorous:The Way To A Life of Love _fell from his fingertips.

Oh merlin...why hadn't he seen it before! It had been right there under his nose but he'd never taken the time to actually SEE. Harry had told him outright, but had he listened? Of course not...Merlin, was he a moron.

Ron closed his eyes as the horrible truth bloomed in his mind...It made sense now. Ugly, awful sense. The constant terror in Harry's eyes before and after they made love, the desperation in his voice, the words he'd repeat under his breath..."I can't...He'll know...he'll know..."

Harry had been trying to protect him from anyone finding out about Ron's preferences. He was already a well known bi-sexual, so whoever he was seen with was automatically considered a love interest. But he'd pushed Ron away since that interview, atleast in public. He treated him just as a friend when they were out, and only behind well locked doors did he show his true feelings. All because he wanted it to be on Ron's terms when he was outted.

Ron remembered the harshness that Harry and Jimmy were received when they claimed they were bi. And they were society's heroes. He supposed it was only THAT that allowed them to remain in the Ministry. So long as they didn't date anyone in the office, of course. But what would've happened if Ron had made him and Harry public? He probably would've gotten fired...

No. No he would've gotten worse. The Ministry banned relationships between same-sex Officials centuries ago, their reasoning being to secure the continue of the wizarding population and to prevent scandal among other Ministries.

If anyone had discovered an Unspeaklable and an Auror were kissing behind closed doors, they both would've been sent to Azkaban.

Harry pushed him away to save him from Azkaban...

Long fingers slid into ginger hair as Ron sunk his head down. The truth was worse than the lies he'd made up to console himself simply because the truth was unfixable. The tiny ray of hope that Harry wasn't an Auror anymore didn't last very long since he knew if Punickle found out, that'd be it for him. He'd still get fired and Punickle would find a way to send him to Azkaban. It was unspeakable (pardon the pun) for one of his employees to be anything but an exemplary example of the wizarding world. Being a fag wasn't in Punickle's definition of 'exemplify'.

The maddening depression he had managed to put at bay for some time now seemed to be enclosing him. The dark prospect of never being able to love Harry like he wanted deepened Ron's sadness beyond fathomable. Yes, he could always quit, but he'd be forced to forfeit his memories of the Department of Mysteries and everything inbetween. That includded all the intimacies he shared with his best friend given the fact that he couldn't very well tell the Official in charge of his memory modification that he had memories of him and Harry Potter shagging...And he just couldn't bare to lose those.

A gentle knock came from his door and Ron quickly composed himself enough to mutter, "Come in."

To his shock, it wasn't a worried Lupin or a prodding Sirius, but a pallid, almost wraithlike figure draped in a thick black winter cloak.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked, alarmed.

The boy closed the door behind him and crossed the room delicately, picking his way through Ron's clutter. "Weasely."

Draco slid his hood back and his features only became that much more white in the glow of Ron's candles. "Bloody hell. What the hell happened to you? You look like you haven't eaten or slept in days!"

"Three weeks, two days to be precise."

Ron blanched and swung his long legs to the side of the bed." What! What's been going on?"

The blond slipped his cloak from his shoulders and sat down primly on the edge of an overstuffed armchair. He looked very out of place in this disorganized, comfortable enviroment. It was then that Ron noticed his empty grey eyes.

"I've come to give you this." He said, then magicked an envelope towards Ron, who caught it in the air.

It was elegant, his name scrawled across the front in wispy letters. Frowning, he opened it to reveal an invitation. Brown eyes widened as he looked back up to his friend." This is a wedding invitation."

"Yes," Draco replied simply.

"YOUR wedding invitation." Ron said blankly.

"Well I couldn't very well show up at my famlies' estates, inviting them by mouth like a penniless beggar, now could I?"

Ron stared at the pale boy before him like he'd strayed in from some alternate universe." Malfoy, you never said anything about dating someone to begin with,and now you're getting MARRIED?"

The boy's eyes flashed momentarily."It was arranged."

Ron's shoulders slumped as the meaning behind that came all too clear. "Oh no..."

Draco looked down for the first time since he arrived,"I knew you'd understand. No one else would."

Ron shook his head, still in shock."Did you atleast get to meet her?"

"Once. When I was eight. Her name is on the card."

The redhead turned his eyes back to the invitation, only now taking in the details other than Draco's name. Beneath his was the name Louise Lestrange. Ron's nose wrinkled in disgust, knowing all too well THAT family. But what came as more of a shock was when he came to the part where the date was listed." Malfoy...this is this weekend."

"Day before my birthday, yes."

"Why...?"

Draco's eyes dropped once more and his skin seemed to look more pasty and hollow than before. "My father's will states that I will not inherit the family estate or name if I do not marry Louise by my twentieth birthday."

Ron's outrage was apparent as he leapt from his seat, hands in fists. " Why that no good, dirty rotten bastard! How dare he do that to you!"

"He knew what he was doing...but...he wasn't the only one..."

Ron frowned, pausing his rant."What do you mean?"

Draco looked back up, several things flashing across his eyes before it settled back on blankness."I want you to be my best man."

Ron stumbled for words. He hadn't expected that. "Well, er, uh, I mean, um...sure."

Draco nodded and stood, gathering his cloak. " I will send you the information concerning your duties tomorrow evening by owl. Enjoy your evening."

Just as the boy made to leave, Ron heard himself blurting out, " Jimmy's a right mess."

Draco paused, his hand gripping the doorknob tighter.

"He walks round like a ghost. Hasn't been right for about three weeks now..."

The implications of this statement seemed to do the trick, for the blond's shoulders slumped and his knuckles turned impossibly white as he clutched the handle.

" He was the thing you wanted to escape, wasn't he?" Ron shocked even himself sometimes. He'd had a niggling suspicion, but didn't have any hard evidence to prove it either way. But with Jimmy's deteriating health obvious to anyone who bothered to look and Ginny's heated whispers to him during dinner at the Burrow that Jimmy was all but a zombie at the office, well...it didn't take much to connect that to Draco's current likeness.

"That's a dangerous assumption you're making."

"Bull!"

Draco turned round, his face twisted in surprise and anger.

"I'm not blind, Malfoy. Or deaf. I remember while we were in Romania all those times you avoided talking about Jimmy, and that night when we got drunk together, you let slip about loving a guy. Then you go and escort Jimmy to the Masquerade and I SAW the way you were dancing with him...Cause it was the same way I danced with Harry."

Draco's eyes were struggling to contain whatever it was that hid behind the mask he put up. It was a mark of how far along his distress was that even someone like Ron could see conflict and pain in Draco Malfoy's grey eyes.

"Think you know so much, do you?"

"Yes, I do. Don't deny it, Draco. You love Jimmy. Just admit it."

Draco continued to struggle, his lips twitching in effort and his fingers spasming round the door handle. "Fine! I love him OK! I LOVE JIMMY POTTER!"

Ron didn't expect him to breakout in tears or slump to the ground at his confession. Malfoy never did any of those things. He was dramatic, yes, but he would never let anyone, not even Ron, see him as anything less than perfectly capable. "So why are you marrying Louise Lestrange?"

"Because. My family's money, their power, their NAME, won't belong to me if I don't."

"Who cares about money when-"

"Its not that simple!" Draco screeched, his eyes wild.

Ron took a step back, alarmed at this new side of his friend." Then explain it to me."

Draco seemed like he'd been waiting to do just that, but something was holding him back.

"Tell me."

The blond gripped his hair, his eyes staring out the dark window at the even darker street. The conflict was back and now he seemed to be muttering to himself. He was far gone. But just as Ron was going to prod him once more, the boy blurted out." I know why Potter was kidnapped."

Ron's muscles tensed as he took a step forward. " What."

Draco closed his eyes, looking for once, completely exhausted."I know why Potter was kidnapped."

Ron was at a loss. How long had the Order been working on uncovering the why and who of Harry's abduction? " Don't tell me you..."

"Yes...Yes I know."Draco glanced over at him."But trust that I didn't discover the truth until a few days ago."

Ron was seeing red.

"I know Potter trusted me the first time round and he forgave me without a moment's hesitation for not telling anyone I knew the Dark Lord was controlling Granger..." Ron grit his teeth, balling his fists at his sides." So I can understand why you're looking at me that way now, but please, hear what I have to say before you turn me in."

"I'm not making any promises." Ron seethed.

Draco nodded, as if expecting nothing less." I will get straight to the point then...It was upon the inspection of my father's will that I came across a vague suspicion. I always knew my father had been forced into marrige to my mother but I never gave it much thought. But it was the similarities between the circumstances of their marriage and my own that persuaded me to investigate. "At this, he began to pace." I read through my mother's diary, knowing I'd remembered something she had said about a former lover, and indeed found quite a few entries dedicated to the heated relationship this man and my mother shared. The result of this affair, however, ended in trajedy. The man had had an accident while at work, some freak dragon attack. After some crafty correspondence, I discovered the same fate befell my father's first, and consequently, only girlfriend."

"What does this have to do with Harry?"

"I'm getting to that." Draco said, turning to face the redhead." After evidence that strange accidents seemed to revolve around my family's non-betrothed lovers, I came to the conclusion that Potter wasn't meant to be the victim, Jimmy was."

"Yes, we already knew that." Ron snapped impatiently. "Tell me something I don't know."

Draco's eyes darkened to a steely coal and his features turned rigid." Jimmy was supposed to be kidnapped and murdered...because of me."

The words seemed to float on the thick air, barely penetrating Ron's mind. What? Jimmy...because of DRACO?

"I used my most trusted elves to confirm this fact, and indeed, they came back to me with the unfortunate message that yes, all that I had suspected was true; Jimmy was to be killed because he interfered in the Malfoy lineage."

Ron's lips moved wordlessly. It made a sort of sick sense. There was nothing a pureblood family wouldn't do to ensure their name survived.

"I wasn't surprised, of course. It was only the extent to which the orders were carried out...Involving vampires and a dementor...It became all too clear who had been behind it all."

Minutes passed and it seemed as if Draco would never finish his sentence. But Ron waited, he'd learned to get very good at that, while the boy's mind whirlled with the words he was speaking. It meant death if any relative discovered that Draco was telling dark family secrets, even if Ron was pureblood too.

"The vampires' coven is in the costal village of Odessa, in the Ukraine. You'll find every single one of the surviving Death-Eaters, vampires and their pet hiding there."

Ron blinked, forcing his mouth to form words. "What..."

"As a wedding present, will you do just one thing for me?"

Ron nodded mutely, his mind racing with ways to which the Order would swoop down and murder every one of those Death-Eaters.

"Protect Jimmy."

"But Draco, I-"

"My grandfather will undoubtedly be prepared for the taking of Odessa and have secured his uninvolvement in the matter with his powerful contacts within the Ministry. He'll seek revenge. So please make sure Jimmy is far from harm...I marry Louise on the simple assumption that if I do as I'm told, Tallen will find no need to seek Jimmy out and murder him. But if that does happen, take Jimmy away and protect him with everything you and the Order of the Phoenix have. I'm counting on you, Weasley."

"You-you have my word."

"I'll hold you to that. No Unbreakable Vow will be necessary, I trust you."

Ron nodded and watched as Draco turned to leave, noticing with mild interest as a glimpse of silver flashed from behind the blond's vest. He smiled vaguely, recognizing the moon pendant without trouble and followed his friend out the door, escorting him to the sitting room's fireplace. But before they had even made it halfway down the fourth floor landing, a voice called up the stairs.

"Ron! Come on down! Jimmy bought pizza!"

Draco paled considerably and stopped short. Ron regarded him nervously before calling, "B-be right there!" Turning to the terrified blond, Ron frowned. "You wouldn't consider-"

"No." Draco said flatly.

"But he'd-"

"NO. Just get me out of here."

Ron heaved a great sigh and nodded towards the back staircase. " Take that, it loops round the house bit odd, but it'll take you down the back way. Sitting room's first opened door you see."

Draco nodded curtly and whisked off, his cloak blending well with the dark grey of the walls. Ron set off at a trot down the remaining steps, already taking large lungfuls of melted cheese and bubbling pepperoni. Stepping off the last stair, he came face to face with Jimmy, who was unlacing his boots.

"Hullo."

Jimmy looked up, looking just as broken and insubstantial as earlier that week." Hey there. Hope you're hungry, I got five pizzas."

Ron shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped forward, feeling slightly awkward with Draco's words ringing in his head. _Protect Jimmy. _Well, he could do that easily enough. But the blond should be the one doing the protecting, not him. "How're you feeling? Got over that flu yet?"

Jimmy paused only momentarily before he plunked his boots under the chair he was seated on and turned a bright smile to the redhead. Now that Ron knew the truth, it hurt to see such a forced smile."Not yet. But things are looking up."

Tilting his head skeptically, he took a few seconds to properly look over the boy. His ministry uniform was a bit rumpled, his hair was limp and there were dark bags under his eyes, which were slightly bloodshot anddevoid their usual twinkle.

"Oh, I didn't know you'd be here."

Ron turned with a start and saw Harry standing in the hallway, looking uncomfortable. "I had today off."

Harry nodded a bit, then turned on his heel." I should get home."

"Just stay, Harry. " Jimmy snapped. He walked over and turned Harry, who seemed all but eager to flea, back around.

Ron then noticed that the two brothers looked exactly alike. Not just the usual twin likeness, but in the rumpled, unkept sort of way. In addition to the look of fatigue in their eyes, Harry had lost weight, reverted back to baggy shirts and loose pants, and crammed his haphazard hair beneath a wool cap.

Ron's heart panged for his best friend and yearned to wrap the boy in his arms and kiss away everything. "Please stay, Harry. There's something important I need to tell you all."

Harry hesitated, but then nodded again. Jimmy dragged Harry into the kitchen, Ron at their heels. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of white-blond disappear into the sitting room.

- - - - -

White snow crunched beneath his feet, his breath coming out in short puffs in the cold night air. The sound of raucous laughter floated through the thick forest, every now and then interrupted by the crash of waves.

Odessa had been meagerly populated and it took around three hours to navigate through the trees to reach the coven nestled in the caves created by tremendous storms. By then, his toes and the tips of his fingertips were all but frozen, encased as they were in layers of fur and wool and leather.

His wand lifted, as did a dozen others at the same time, the camp's fire illuminating the crags and gangly barren trees.

A vampire was cradling a girl of about twelve in his arms, her head lolled back as he drunk hungrily from her neck. The others round him cackled and snaked tighter round their zealots. A beast draped in layers of black floated magically chained to a tree, its decaying hands groping the air as if to draw something from the dead creatures surrounding it.

Ron stroked his lower lip between his teeth, his eyes darting back and forth across the camp. Quick calculations stated that he had around twenty vampires and five muggles in his section. Technically, so was the dementor, but he was ordered not to handle that. It was being saved for another.

A soft hiss came from somewhere to his left, causing a shiver to run up his spine no matter how many times he heard the language spoken. "_Do it._"

The fire was quickly exstinguished, to be replaced by a cascade of red and green light. Hexes flew all around him, and to his disbelief, several came from the coven itself. Something hard hit his legs, making him tumble to the ground. Fangs glistened in the red light of the battle, and Ron had just enough time to drive a dagger made of blessed mahogony into the creature before it sank those teeth into his neck. Letting out a sharp breath, he jumped back to his feet and ran straight into the thick of the screeching shadows.

"ENCIRCLE!"

His feet scrambled over the snow, knocking vampire after vampire out with a jinx and immediately turning their bodies to ash. Hearing a yelp of surprise from his right, Ron charged over and tackled a vampire to the ground, jabbing it with his dagger.

Jimmy's shocked ashen face looked up at him, but they had barely enough time to exchange thank yous before another pair of vampires leapt towards them.

"SECTION ONE: CLEARED!"

Bursts of ash sprung up at random intervals, a bush catching fire as a dying vampire collapsed onto it.

"SECTION FIVE: CLEARED!"

The dementor screeched, straining against its bonds.

"SECTION FOUR: CLEARED!"

Ron knocked down three vampires with a ferocious kick and drove a splintered branch that had fallen from a missed jinx straight through them all as Jimmy roundhoused an unsuspecting vampire, making it land on the very branch that had taken three of its comrades. "SECTION THREE: CLEARED!"

A brilliant flash of light came from the right and a scream died on the air. "SECTION TWO: CLEARED!"

Dumbledore helped Lupin to his feet and Ron flanked Jimmy as Sirius and Tonks emerged from behind the jagged rocks. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley kicked the last ashes into a pile of snow as Snape put out the burning patch of forest.

They all stood in a semi-circle infront of the cavern mouth, watching as the dementor yanked and jerked and screeched.

Harry stepped past Lupin and walked purposefully towards the creature, a dark glower twisting his handsome features into something sinister and scary.

"You sure about this, Harry? We could bring it into the Ministry and use it to prosecute its owner." Kingsley called out.

Harry looked over his shoulder, the look on his face making all further protests vanish on everyone's tongue.

Jimmy tucked behind Ron's arm, trembling either from the cold or the effects of the dementor everyone was feeling.

"Go ahead, Harry." Dumbledore spoke gently.

Harry brandished his wand and stepped up to the creature, his eyes gleaming maniacally in the light from everyone's wandtip. The dementor bucked forward, drawing in excited breaths. Harry faltered, but kept his ground. "Remember me, do you? I bet you do. Bet you miss the taste of a Potter."

A horrible screech echoed throughout the forest, and Ron pushed Jimmy a few steps back as the dark animal attempted to break free of its restraints. Jimmy gripped his arm, shaking worse.

A rage in Harry's eyes glinted just as he shouted, "_EXPECTO PATRONUM_!"

A large silver stag leapt from his wand and galloped round all of them before coming to a stop at Harry's side. The brunette pointed forward and the animal charged at full speed, the dementor screeching in alarm. Ron winced as the Patronus rammed the creature, then again, and again, and again, each time Harry's face twisting in concentration.

Jimmy's fingers tightened round his arm and he could hear the boy muttering, "Do it, do it...die..._die_..."

The black creature doubled over, hollering in pain and waving its arms around wildly, but still the Patronus continued to drive its sharp antlers into it. The dementor struggled furiously at its bindings, trying to escape the battering. One last vicious ram tore the dementor straight across, leaving its decayed, slimey body exposed to the Patronus' light.

Harry jerked his wand upwards, disconnecting the Patronus quickly. Jimmy appeared at his side in an instant and before the dementor had a chance to take a dangerous breath in of them, they shouted, " _CARPE VIE RETRACTUM_!"

A blinding burst of golden light erupted from their wands and consumed the fading stag, causing it to triple in size and charge one last time at the weakened creature kneeling on the ground. The dementor had only time to let loose a terrible scream that ripped at the Order's souls before the light engulfed it and there was a few moments of perfect silence.

Where the dementor once lay, now was a fire of what seemed to be golden flames, sparks and a steady stream of light leading from it up into the sky. Then they saw it. A hand emerged from the flames, followed by an arm and a torso, finally legs. A woman with dark hair stood upright and grinned at all of them, before looking up and quickly fading upwards. Harry and Jimmy strained to keep their wands upright, their arms beginning to tremble.

Another followed, then another, then another, and soon the stream was releasing every poor soul the dementor had Kissed; The Potters.

Tears leaked down the twins' cheeks as the very last man emerged, his messy mop of black hair and round glasses distinguishing himself if his broad grin didn't.

Sirius and Remus stepped forward, tears of happiness shining on their faces. "Prongs."

James grinned impossibly wider, mouthing what was indesputably, " Padfoot. Moony."

The two men stared in a mixture of joy and sadness as James turned from them to his two sons. He smiled sadly but his eyes shined with pride. His lips moved and they all saw what he said. "My boys. I'm so proud. Take care of eachother...I love you."

Then he was gone and the light vanished abruptly, causing the twins to collapse forward onto the cold snow. Ron rushed forward just in time to hear Harry mutter, " We saved him, Jim..." before he went limp. Jimmy followed suit.

Ron sighed in relief once Dumbledore confirmed that they were ok, just unconscious from the magical exertion. Ron scooped up Harry into his arms, Remus doing the same with Jimmy, and the Order finished clearing out the cave of hiding vampires. Dumbledore led the way away from the last battles and Disapparated with them to Black Manor. Ron's mother jumped out at them, alongside Ginny, Hermione and Madame Pomfrey who clicked her tongue.

Ron stood guard outside the room as the twins slumbered in a potion-induced sleep, listening as Dumbledore recounted the night's events to the girls inside. He slumped back against the wall, releasing a slow breath as he pushed his damp hair from his forehead. Malfoy should be satisfied.

- - - - -

It was the next afternoon when Ron was walking out to lunch and was accosted by both an owl and an anxious brunette. Fumbling with the letter in his fist, Ron was bodily dragged out into the late November air and across Diagon Alley. "Jimmy, what the hell?"

After shoving him onto a bench outside of Florean's Ice Cream Shoppe, Jimmy stood infront of the boy and grabbed his hands. "You have to help me."

Ron blinked. "Oh.Ok..."

Jimmy quickly sat down next to him, shifting his messenger bag onto his lap. At first glance, he seemed to look the same, but infact he seemed a bit more rosy-cheeked and his hair was actually styled today. He shuffled inside his bag and finally emerged with an envelope, waving it infront of his face. " What is _this_?"

Ron took the envelope from him and grimaced as he recognized the wispy scrawl and the frayed edge paper. " Oh."

"YEAH. 'Oh'. Now what the fuck is going on." Jimmy demanded, a glare developing on his handsome features.

Ron handed the invitation back, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're asking the wrong guy, mate."

"That's crap. You're all chummy and work alongside the little liar all day long. Now just tell me."

Ron hesitated, unsure whether he should correct the boy that Malfoy actually did NOT work in his department, and also not knowing whether he wanted to interfer in a pretty touchy issue to begin with. He wasn't entirely sure how to go about this. He didn't know Jimmy's feelings towards Draco all too well. " Erm...Well...He's getting married."

Jimmy gave him a look that clearly said 'well no shit, dumbass.'

Ron sighed resignedly, slumping back. " Ok fine. Its part of his father's will. He has to marry a pureblood before he turns twenty, which is December 1st, exactly six days from now. So, they made the wedding the day before so Malfoy could inherit the family money and stuff. There, that's all I know."

Jimmy crossed his arms, huffing softly as he watched the bustling crowds passing them. "He could've atleast told me properly."

Ron scrunched his mouth to the side, feeling that horrible sensation of guilt tugging at his gut. " I know. But...what could he say? You two..."

Jimmy looked over at him as he trailed off, arching a curious brow that was intimidating as all hell. "We two what?"

Ron stuttered, blushing a bit in the cold autumn breeze. " W-well. You, you know..."

Jimmy cringed and hugged himself tightly. " Dear god, you know."

Ron nodded uncomfortably then reached out and rubbed the boy's shoulder. " But hey, don't feel bad. You're not the first to fall victim to love."

Jimmy sighed heavily." Yeah. Guess you're right...Pretty sad, though."

"What is?"

"Us. Can't even hold onto the people we love."

Ron turned to the side a bit, idly picking at his cloak.

"Sorry. Didn't mean for that to come out all 'MRRGH'. Just, yanno, kinda bitter."

Ron nodded and gave a weak smile.

"Which brings me to my next issue; I'm assuming YOU'RE the reason behind Harry's whacko behavior." Jimmy asked, pulling out a ciggarette and lighting it.

Ron frowned, wondering when Jimmy started smoking again," Not purposely. We fell out because I think Harry's trying to protect me from being sent to Azkaban."

Jimmy looked alarmed at first, then realizaton dawned on him and he took a commiserating drag of his cig. " Oh, right. That stupid ammendment about same-sex Officials. God, how backwards are these people? There's plenty of wizard cock to go around." Ron blushed from ears to the tip of his nose, making Jimmy chuckle inspite of himself. "Oops, sorry. Forgot you get flustered easily. Sorry man."

Ron scowled, "I'm not flustered, just...surprised. You pop out with these things and I'm just not prepared."

Jimmy chuckled again and slapped Ron's leg." Sorry sorry. Wow, I haven't laughed in awhile. Thanks for that Ronnekins."

Ron scrunched his nose at the boy, remembering now all too well how cheeky he was sometimes. "Stop calling me that. I hate it when people call me that."

Jimmy smirked and stood up," Right. Well, I gotta get back to Fudge-Pop. Taking down an institution such as that horklump is trying work. Do you even realize how many Heads are in his pocket? Which reminds me, careful with that boss of yours today. He's been acting pretty sketchy. Anyways. Do me a favor and check on Harry later on, ok? He's been looking worse each day. I'm gonna be going up to Ireland for pressing issues so I won't be able to do it myself.Alright well, thanks! Later Ronny."

Ron leaned back, watching as the boy retreated back to the Ministry, leaving him alone and dealing with various curious stares. Rubbing his hair, Ron got to his feet and ducked into Florean's for a sandwich.

After securing his sandwich, Ron Apparated to Potter Asylum and waltzed up the walkway. After a few knocks on the door proved that no one was going to answer, Ron found the spare key in the statue head of a santa and walked inside, making sure to close the door behind him. "Harry? Harry you home?"

Who came zipping down the staircase was not the elusive brunette he'd been hoping for.

"Ah, about time you decided to show up, " Cienna said, scowling sternly.

Ron frowned and walked over to her, " Whats that supposed to mean?"

Cienna crossed her arms and sighed, if it really was necessary for ghosts to even _breathe_, and regarded him as if he were a stupid animal." Harry's been running havoc for some time now. Never sleeping, never eating, taking dangerously long walks in the forest...And it seems to all revolve around YOU."

"How do you figure?" Ron asked defiantly.

"Cause when he DOES sleep, he mutters your name constantly." She said plainly.

"Oh." Ron said, solemning.

She gave him a calculating look, which he bodily ignored, and sighed, as if she finally came to a solution to an inner dilema."Well, you're at a dead-end here. Harry took off about an hour ago to God knows where, but this owl came by from Hermione Granger with a note saying Harry was at the Burrow and to come straight after work. I'm only assuming it was meant for Jimmy."

Ron straightened out, frowning with concern." Is he alright?"

"Doesn't say. So I suggest you go home after work and see whats going on. Send an owl here to let me know whats up. I'm going crazy here."

"Aren't you always though?"

A quick slap across the head chastened him thoroughly. Ron was soon back on his way to the Ministry, an empty stomach, a head full of worry and an icy neck.

Punickle punished him for coming back late, which was surprising cause he'd given a pretty good excuse of needing to check up on his best friend who wasn't feeling well. Punickle just didn't seem to want to hear it. He'd been more like that with each passing day. But that evening, it seemed to take a turn for the worse. And Ron was beginning to wonder whether it was worth not getting exposed...

"Weasley!"

Ron jumped a mile into the air, dropping the vial he had been carrying to the storage vaults. With a grimace, he watched the gasous charm he'd barely managed to coax into the bottle do a double eight then vanish into the air. Turning, and trying his best not to glower coldly, he regarded his Head of Programs. "Sir."

"Very clumsly of you. You need concentration. I have half a mind to keep you after another hour."

Ron blanched. "But sir, you've already kept me three hours! I have to go home and-"

"And check on your 'friend'," Punickle sneered nastily. " Yes, I heard. But what did I tell you earlier? There are priorities, and there are PRIORITIES. As in, your department comes first. Your friend can wait. He's lasted this long, he can live another few hours while you clean up your mess and try again."

Ron was outraged and didn't bother hiding it. "But that took me practically all day to do! I can't do it tonight! It would take me well into tomorrow!"

Punickle smiled a sick sort of smile and simpered, " Then I suggest you get started straight away, because I'm not letting you leave until I have that charm in a secured bottle and in my vaults."

He didn't know what to say. This was ridiculous! Punickle was never this nasty to anybody else. He had been doing this just too much. Singling Ron out and forcing him to do the menial, long-houred jobs that usually kept him out for days on end. It was just too much. "No."

Punickle blinked, shaking his head slightly." Excuse me. I must be hearing things, because I know you did not just disobey my orders."

"Well..." Ron steeled himself. If any a time to show he was still a Gryffindor, it was now. Harry needed him. He might never say it, but Ron knew it. "I just did. I'm not staying tonight, Head Punickle. I have a sick friend to attend to."

The old man sputtered, watching as Ron gathered his things and headed for the door.

"THIS WILL BE YOUR JOB AND YOUR MEMORIES WEASLEY! YOU HAVE MY WORD!"

Ron paused at the door.

Punickle snorted in triumph." HA HA! Got you there, didn't I? You failed to realize that I OWN you, Weasley. You and Potter are wrapped around my finger."

Ron turned to the side, regarding his boss with wide eyes.

"Yes. Though I admit, Potter put up less of a fight than you, which goes to show you all that nonsense about him being a 'hero' is just that; NONSENSE."

Ron shook his head, in disbelief.

Punickle looked absolutely tickled. His portly belly was jiggling beneath his vest, a self-satisfying smirk on his face." Tallen said you couldn't be controlled, but I showed him, eh? No need to kill you when all I have to do is threaten your memories. All that kidnapping business was completely ludicrous, not to mention dangerous. Though I admit, I wouldn't have been too sad if both those Potters had got theirs...Merlin knows they had it coming."

Ron couldn't believe his ears...This had to be a nightmare. His boss was NOT confessing to knowing about Harry's kidnapping, and that Tallen Malfoy Senior was involved as well. Because if he was, then that meant he was a--

"Well, I'll leave you to your work, Mr. Weasley, I just have to-"

"You're a Death-Eater."

Punickle's face turned a shocking puce, his dark eyes bugging out. " What did you call me?"

"Yeah...Yeah, it makes sense now...We were all still wondering how the hell the vampires got inside the Ministry undetected and that storm that came during it. But now it makes perfect sense. They WOULD have to have a powerful contact inside, wouldn't they? Someone who had unregistered spells at his disposal and who was trusted beyond everyone else and who also had access to the Potters' daily routines."

"You don't know what you're talking about, I never-"

"So Tallen would handle the storm, while you arranged for a few wands to be altered so they would go undetectable in a vampire's hand. Then you set off the spell and let them do the rest."

"I didn't kill them!"

"But you just as well have. You practically handed them to Malfoy Senior on a silver platter." Ron then sneered at the old man who now looked less intimidating and more like a fatter version of Peter Pettigrew." What did he offer you? Money? Power?"

"Everything. He said if I helped him murder the Potters, I could have anything I wanted. Imagine. ANYTHING I wanted, all with a Malfoy's guarantee." Punickle breathed.

"So what then? You failed."

"I did not! _My_ end went off without a hitch, it was HIS end that failed. I told him you couldn't trust a vampire to do a wizard's job."

"Is that so?"

The both of them whirled round to see Dumbledore and the Head of the Auror department standing in the hallway. Dumbledore seemed caught betweencold furyand amusement.

"Professor? What are you doing here?" Ron asked, shocked.

"Just came down with my friend Yungbrood here to arrange the next Auror-Unspeakable liason at Hogwarts, but it seems we've come upon something MUCH more interesting instead." The old headmaster said, asmallcurlto his lips.

Punickle looked like a rabbit caught in a bear trap. "You won't catch me. I have powerful friends. You could never prove a word of it."

Dumbledore produced what looked like a tiny metal box with lots of buttons on it. He pressed a few of them and played back what was undeniably Punickle's voice.

"--_Everything. He said if I helped him murder the Potters, I could have anything I wanted. Imagine. ANYTHING I wanted, all with a Malfoy's guarantee--_"

Punickle blanched. " Thats not me! Its a fake! A copy! Wait until Tallen hears of this!"

Dumbledore smiled as Auror Yungbrood marched forward and magicked Punickle's hands into bindings. "I'm sure Master Malfoy Senior would very much enjoy this entertaining story. Though I'm sure it might put a damper on his grandson's beautiful wedding." At this, Dumbledore gave an almost imperceptable wink at Ron.

"Come along, Eustace. We've got alot of talking to do." Youngblood said, then marched off with him, Dumbledore in tow.

Ron stood there for a minute, his head throbbing with what just happened. Good lord. His life was never just sunshine and rainbows, was it?

"Oh, Mr. Weasley."

Ron looked up to see Dumbledore's wizened, friendly face. "Oh, sir, I thought you'd be gone by now."

"Yes, well, I thought I would take it upon myself to inform you that you _might_ not need to come into work tomorrow."

Ron frowned."Am I fired sir?"

Dumbledore smiled."Of course not, my boy. But I dare say, the Unspeakables will be put on suspension until the investigation is over. Seems Punickle's usage of their special spells alerts us that he might have been using others for personal gain as well."

Ron felt sick. It was HIS lab that developed new spells and charms. "I have one question though, sir...What was that metal box you had?"

Dumbledore smiled and pulled the device back out of his pocket."Ingenious little thing. Muggle machine called a 'tape recorder'. Seems young Mr. Malfoy has a fondness for these sort of things, in addition to excellent draughts of Veritaserum."

Ron frowned." Draco? But how-"

"Do not fret, Mr. Weasley. I am sure your friends will more than forgive you for working for such a selfish person."

"Oh merlin! My friends! I have to go, sir. If you'll excuse me!" Ron said, darting out the door and hurrying down the hall.

"Do say hello to Harry for me!"

Ron blushed and pulled on his cloak, figuring that if he was suspended indefintely, it wouldn't hurt to use the flooholes a few labs over. After waving his wandtip in a pattern that spelled out 'Burrow', Ron stepped in through an archway of sorts and stepped out almost as quickly out of the Burrow's fireplace.

"Ron!"

He looked over at the surprised whispers, seeing Hermione and Ginny perched on armchairs either side of the sofa.

"Where on earth did you come from? I didn't see the flames." Hermione questioned, standing up.

"Used a FlooHole," At their blank expressions, Ron waved his hand, walking over." Nevermind. Anyways, so whats going on? Is Harry here?"

Hermione nodded and motioned to the couch. Ron walked up behind it, peering over to see Harry passed out across it.

"What happened to him? Jimmy and Cienna says he hasn't been himself lately."

Ginny snorted and crossed her legs." Understatement of the century."

Hermione shot her a disapproving look before turning back to Ron." I came by his house for an early lunch and found him passed out on the kitchen floor. Cienna had gone off somewhere and Hedwig was probably asleep in the forest, so I decided to bring him back to the Burrow. My flat wouldn't have been ideal since its so deep in London and no one was at Black Manor. This was just the next best option."

Ron sighed as he walked round the side of the couch and knelt infront of Harry. Gently pushing back his bangs, he noticed Harry constantly mumbling incoherently, his face twisted as if seeing something he'd rather not.

"He was screaming earlier. Had to put a silencing charm on him at one point.We barely managed to send my mum off to bed and take over, let her get some rest. She was in such a state." Ginny said, her face sombered up.

Ron's stroking seemed to rouse Harry. His eyes fluttered briefly before opening up slowly, staring at the redhead above him first in appreciation then confusion. "...Ron?"

"Hey. Heard you've been having a rough time of it. Care to explain?"

Hermione scowled, hauling Ron to his feet and shoving him away, " Honestly! Your tact is no better than when you were sixteen...Harry, are you ok?"

The brunette slowly pushed himself upright, a groggy sort of discomfort gripping his expression. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ginny snickered," Good to know some things don't change."

Hermione gave her a stern look," Harry, want some tea and cold pheasant? Think you can handle that?"

Harry nodded uncertainly and shook off Hermione's help as he stood up and made his way into the kitchen, sitting down at the table across from Ron. There, Ginny madeup some tea while Hermione prepared a plate for the two boys. Naturally, Ron's contained much more food which was heated and Ginny even made some fresh rolls for them to share.

So while they ate in silence, the girls watched Harry intently, probably trying to discern the cause for his unconsciousness. It was all very annoying when Ron had about a million and one things running through his head already.

So much had happened the past few weeks. It was amazing any of them were still legally sane. And he meant that in the loosest definition of the word, too.

" 'sgood. "Harry murmured, noticing everyone's probing stares.

Ron smiled faintly at the pathetic attempt to throw the girls off his case. Ginny was right. Some things just never change.

"Have you been eating healthy, Harry? No junk food and the sort?" Hermione inquired, leaning her chin in her palm.

Harry shrugged, shoving the last bit of pheasant into his mouth. When it looked as if she was going to grill him continuously, Ron cleared his throat and motioned to them." Could you two leave us alone for a bit?"

"Why should YOU get to question him and we can't?" Ginny demanded.

"Because I'm his best friend and we're guys and-" Ron stopped, noticing the increasingly skeptical looks blooming on their faces. "Oh bugger, just leave you two nosy bittys."

Hermione sniffed and Ginny looked ready to retaliate, but Harry looked at them almost hopefully. Of course, they rolled their eyes and reluctantly hauled themselves out of the kitchen.

Ron ran a hand through his hair, exhaling." Damn girls. Glad I wrote them off. They're all nutters."

Harry managed a small smile, but it faded just as quickly as it had come.

Ron moved to the chair besides his best friend and sat on it facing the brunette." Ok now Harry. I have maybe three reasons as to why you've been acting the way you have. One: You're regretting quitting the Auror program."

Harry shook his head, absently poking his fork at his roll.

"Oook. Two: Your encounter with your father's spirit in Odessa has haunted you."

Harry looked like he was considering it, and ended up shrugging.

"Alright then. Three:..." Ron dropped his voice considerably, leaning in close." You regret pushing me away to protect me from going to prison." The boy's lips parted as his green eyes widened behind his glasses. Ron had to pat himself on the back for that one. HA! Take that Hermione! Never call HIM imperceptive again. "If thats the case then Harry, why didn't you just tell me? I would've understood."

"Because I didn't want you to disagree and insist we keep seeing eachother..." Harry muttered, throwing cautious glances at the empty stairwell.

"Well, ok, yeah, I would've knocked something good into that thick head of yours, but that goes without saying. It was selfish of you to think that I cared whether I got sent to Azkaban or not."

Harry looked over, his dark eyebrows knitted together."So you _didn't_ care? I find that hard to believe."

Ron hesitated, moistening his lips." I...what I mean to say is, I would've cared, but you should've atleast given me the option."

Harry shook his head resolutely and went back to staring at his plate. "No. I told you. I can't lose you again."

"Yeah, and I told _you_ that you never would."

"But without your memories, I would..." Harry whispered, his face dropping all semblence of happiness.

Ron gazed at the boy, his words slowly sinking into what he just discovered earlier that night. "...Punickle forced you away, didn't he?"

Harry looked alarmed at first, then just confused." You know?"

"I found out earlier. Punickle sort of just blurted it out...but that works out for the best, doesn't it? You don't have to worry about him anymore, you see? He's gone. He can't take away my memories or send me away."

Harry's eyes flashed hope, but it was quickly exstinguished." Is he in Azkaban right now?"

"Well...no. He still has to be investigated, then put on trial."

"So there's no guarantee that he'll go to prison. He could walk away scott-free tomorrow and wreck havoc on us without remorse."

"Thats not true. There's a good chance he could go to jail. Dumbledore caught his confession on some muggle thing, and there's sure to be more evidence once they investigate his office."

"But he's not in prison as we speak. As long as he's free, he can hurt you. So can any other Head. Its still illegal, Ron. Your memories can-"

Ron's fist slammed so hard and so suddenly onto the table, the plates went flying and Harry leapt back." I DON'T CARE!"

Harry stared at him in alarm, his lips moving but unable to form words.

"I'm technically not an Unspeaklable anymore. The whole division's been suspended. But even if I wasn't, I still wouldn't care. I care for you, Harry. And I only hope you care for me, too."

Green eyes shined in the kitchen light and the faintest of life came back into them."I do."

"I cherish my memories I have of us, but if I was forced to let them go, I would...because then I could just make new ones with you."

Harry bit his lip, hanging his head down. Ron thought he was crying when his body began to tremble, but then his body suddenly crumbled and Ron only managed to catch him before he hit the ground. He was at a loss. "Was it something I said?"

Hermione and Ginny came scurrying back into the kitchen and looked reproachful.

"Oh honestly!" Hermione scowled." Leave you two alone for a few minutes, and one of you faints. Really."

"It wasn't my fault!" Ron shot back indignantly." Atleast, I don't think."

Ginny sighed and magicked the broken dishes into the garbage."Figures my stupid brother would make a beautiful brunette faint at his words...Uck, life is SO not fair sometimes."

Ron glowered, though his cheeks burned.

"Lets just get him to bed, he's probably just weak from lack of sleep. Ron, why don't you put him in your bed?" Hermione said, stowing the last of the pheasant back into the stove.

"What? Are...are you sure thats wise?" Ron asked, looking nervously at the boy in his arms.

"Its not as if you're going to molest him during the night." Hermione said plainly, even though the corners of her lips twitched.

"Ok, could've lived without _that_ mental image." Ginny complained and led the way upstairs.

As they walked up to Ron's bedroom, he realized just how nice it was to carry Harry around. The boy was smaller and curled up nicely in his arms. He even felt a bit, well, husbandy.

"Ron, do you really care about Harry?" Ginny asked out of nowhere.

Ron blushed, not at all comfortable with talking about his less than platonic feelings for his best friend, especially with his little sister." Well, er...yes...Yes I do."

"Then stop being morons and torturing yourselves. Its obvious you care about eachother. Just find a way around the law." Ginny said, holding the door of Ron's room open.

Ron sighed as he crossed the room and gently laid Harry on the bed, slipping off his glasses."Its not that simple. Either I see Harry behind the Ministry's back and risk going to Azkaban, or quit the Unspeakables and lose my memories of my time there, which include everything I've done with Harry."

Hermione crossed her arms, her voice soft." Sounds like a lose-lose situation."

"There's got to be a way around it. That's just ridiculous to keep people apart like that," Ginny grumbled, chewing on her nails.

"Its law, Gin. Only way around it is to change the law." Ron stated simply, seating himself besides the brunette. There was silence following his comment, and as his hand tenderly stroked Harry's hair, the boy's mutterings came to a halt and his face softened into what peaceful sleep should look like.

"I've got it." Ginny whispered suddenly and spun back out the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Hermione managed to ask.

"I need to contact Jimmy...Oh there's so much to do, so much to do," Ginny mumbled and hurried down the stairs.

Hermione looked bewildered and followed her, leaving Ron in silence. He sighed and magicked the door closed. Looking down at the boy in his bed, Ron kicked off his shoes and pulled off his sweater. He gently prodded Harry, who instinctively moved over. After stretching out on the bed, he curled Harry up into him and heard him mutter not words of pain or confusion or torment, but of content.

Ron hugged him tight and closed his eyes, breathing in the moment for what it was. Harry was in his arms again and thats all that mattered. Punickle, Tallen Malfoy and Azkaban were pushed far from his mind as the brunette brushed a goodnight to his neck.

Just as he drifted off to sleep, he heard the softest words ever spoken mumbled onto his skin.

"Love you, Ron."

He held the boy closer, knowing Harry could deny them no longer.


	20. Austere Conviction

Hullo Gentle Readers!

Ok, so, finally finished this chappie. Had to make it good, yanno. Though I know the length of time was unwarranted, its sure to be well worth thewait. Rest assured, there'll be an even LONGER wait for the next chapter...:smiles sheepishly: I'm doing the best I can people! I'm not a machine : sniffs and sucks on my thumb: no, not really. It makes your thumb all soggy, but if it was someone else, say, a certain gorgeous girlfriend :shifty eyes: ...er...AHEM/

Anyways, here's chapter 20 and just cause I love you all, a lil' tidbit from chapter 21 "It Will Come To Us".

And as always, if you want to get the newest updates on GRAVITY and one-shots, go to my website, linked in my profile hint hint

and without further adieu!

* * *

**Austere Conviction**

+ Dashboard Confessional Vindicated +

Draco Malfoy has made the biggest mistake of his life, and he knows it. Choosing obligation over his one true love proved to be harder than he ever imagined. But can he redeem himself? Can he fix this before its too late?... Did he really WANT to fix this?

A lifetime of expectations is a hard thing to change from, after all. Draco can only hope he could come to a final decision before he uttered the doomed words, " I do".

- - - -

Walking into the closet of his room, Draco Malfoy could be found rifling through quite a pile of clutter. Well, it looked like clutter to the untrained eye, but to Draco, it might as well have been King Tut's tomb.

Hat boxes and old christmas presents encircled him, each containing letters and notes and old homework assignments and pictures. One was even full of drawings. Admittedly, Draco thought it all sentimental and jarr, but he kept this cherished collection anyways. He had little to look back on in life that made him happy, so indulging in this wasn't too horrible.

Since he was old enough, he had begun keeping boxes on his friends. Just letters they wrote to him, notes passed in class, projects they worked on together, even handfuls of photos they took together while out on holiday or anything inane inbetween. Granted, most of his friends weren't really friends, but he didn't keep boxes for THOSE people, now did he?

Of course not. He only blessed those he saw fit of his attentions. Like Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Theodore, and Marco, a boy who lived in Malfoy Village. Naturally, these people had about a dozen boxes apiece, which was why it took so bloody long to find the three he had been searching for.

Call it tacky, but he rather much liked the fact that they, out of the bevy of boxes surrounding them, stood out like a sore thumb with their bright gold wrappings and scarlet lids. Pulling one onto his lap, he lifted the top and prodded through the contents.

"Hmm, Weasley...Damn." The Unspeakable bracelet inside and letter beginning with 'My Dearest Ferret' was proof enough.

The next box turned up with contents such as a broken golden snitch, pictures of the Gryffindor Quidditch team holding up the Quidditch Cup and a velvet box containing a silver claddaugh. "Potter."

He'd added maybe a bit too much to that particular box. It'd probably require a second...

Taking a deep breath, Draco dragged the last of the golden boxes onto his lap and bravely flipped off the lid. Inside was a mengerie of things. The usual letters, notes and pictures, but also doodles, random objects such as a plastic flower (which used to be a hair pin actually), a vial of murtlap, a Mitsubishi keychain and a smooth opaline rock. Draco pulled a jewlery box from his pocket and sat back on his bum with a sigh. This was it. He had to do it.

Draco hesitantly touched the warm metal wrapped round his neck and chewed on his tongue. It had grown to be such a comfort, feeling that necklace and its round pendant in his fist. He liked looking at it, liking staring at himself wearing it, liked how it hung heavy and secure against his chest as he showered.

But he was getting married in two hours. It wouldn't do to be wearing the necklace of his former lover...If he could even call Jimmy a lover. It wasn't as if they had a relationship of any kind. Just one night of passionate shagging and that was it...Even now it pained him to remember it. Draco wrapped his fingers round the moon pendant, his eyes resting on the round rock in Jimmy's box.

Yes...Yes he remembered when he picked up that rock. It seemed an odd sort of trinket, but at the time, it was the only thing that could trigger his memory to the first moment he set eyes on James Potter II..._The night was cold. As should be in late December. Draco had found the Manor all too horrible to bear with just the house elves as company so he'd returned New Year's day, the day before classes begun. He'd spent much of the day wandering the grounds, wondering what the new year would bring. Hopefully for him, it meant a solution to his inner battle. How long could he continue to struggle with the knowledge that he could've prevented Harry's pain and maybe be a bit of a hero himself? Knowing he was as self-preserving as ever, Draco reasoned he'd never feel as if he'd be forgiven.Oh sure, Harry said he was, but then again, that boy was nothing but a bloody saint. It was disgusting sometimes how he dolled out forgiveness and love like Mother Thersea. And people called HIM gay?Draco gave a satisfied sniff and leaned more against the stone ledge that was the railing of the North Tower. Perhaps wasting away the midnight hours atop the second highest tower wasn't such a good idea, especially given he was only wearing a light blue cashmere sweater and dark grey cords. He should've really brought his cloak along. It was absolutely freezing up here.Giving another pained sigh, Draco pushed back his hair that was getting ruffled in the breeze and found a rock lying besides his elbow. Harry always said that physical exertion usually helped the mind work things out better than just think think think.So he picked up the rock and chucked it lamely at a passing owl. The bird swooped down just in time to get its wing clipped. Draco smiled in a satisfied sort of way. Well, it wasn't TOO bad. Sort of nice, really. So he picked up another rock, this one hitting the roof of the tower below his and plummeting to the ground to hit Hagrid as he came lumbering out of the castle.Draco snorted and ducked out of view as the half giant gazed up confused like. Covering his sniggers with his hand, Draco found another rock and stood up to throw it at some tall windows he believed to belong to the Transfiguration classroom when faint footfalls broke his concentration.He turned in time to see Harry emerge from the stairwell, looking both surprised and...quite handsome. For some reason, he wasn't wearing his glasses and his hair had obviously had a drastic cut, since it now stood in eratic short spikes. Giving the boy another once over, Draco was baffled to quickly realize that this was most defintely NOT Harry. There wasn't any scar, no shy glint to his eyes, no uncertain smile. But what most gave away this Non-Harry, was that this boy walked with an air of arrogance and nonchalance, even if he now stood awkwardly in the middle of Draco's solitude."Who are you?" Draco asked curtly. He'd had his share of Polyjuice Potion, and if that blasted Skye Riddle thought she could prance around as Harry, she had another thing coming."Who are YOU?" Non-Harry demanded.Hmm, well he certainly SOUNDED like Harry, though the accent was distinctly American. But he dressed too well to be Harry. Tight black sweaters and baggy jeans were not Golden Boy's style. He prefered the reverse."I asked you first.""Well, to get a disclosure, you first must disclose."Draco narrowed his eyes, turning around to fully face the boy. As he watched those dark emerald eyes scan over his body, he knew for certain that this was not Harry Potter."I'm Draco Malfoy."The boy nodded appreciatively and extended a hand," Jimmy Moon. Er, well, guess it would be Potter now, wouldn't it."Draco paused his hand in the boy's, taken aback." Pardon? Did you just say your name was Jimmy POTTER?"He nodded, a smirk crossing his face." Yeah, heard of my brother I see."_

_Draco blinked. Wait..._BROTHER

_Jimmy leaned in close, squinting his eyes at the blond." You know, I think I recognize you...yeah...Yeah I do! Harry's told me TONS about you."_

_Draco scowled." They're all lies."_

_Jimmy laughed, and it was like gentle church bells in mother's hometown. "Good one. But no, I've heard some pretty amazing stories about you two. I think the whole Enemies-Turned-Allies thing is unbelievably cool."_

_Draco nodded a bit, feeling an odd sort of heat spread across his cheeks._

_Jimmy smiled wider, a mischievous glint to his eyes.__"You're cute. I think I'm defintely gonna like living here."_

_Draco folded his arms, gathering his composure, trying not to get TOO bristled at being called 'cute'. "You're cute as well and I'm certain I'll like you living here."_

_Jimmy grinned, a gorgeous blush spreading over his cheekbones. Or maybe it was the cold._

_"Well, I'll leave you to it. Hope to see you in classes Mr.Potter." Draco said and made to walk pass the brunette_

_The boy touched his arm and Draco felt it all the way to his bones."Jimmy. Call me Jimmy."_

_Draco smirked, noting that this Potter had quite extraordinary eyes. In control and blazing green fire."Jimmy." And with that, Draco swept down the staircase, feeling as if he accomplished something quite grand._

So much had happened since that day, and not once did Draco forget how Jimmy looked that night. It was how he pictured him always. Confident, cheeky, and charming. Clutching the pendant tighter in his fist, Draco barely noticed the hot tears spilling down his cheeks or Mopsy announcing that they were going to be late getting to the church.

-- ----

Draco adjusted his cufflinks and stared at them. Diamonds seemed a bit much, but Grandfather insisted.

"The way you go in is the way the marriage will always be." He says.

Draco very much doubted it worked like that, or if diamond cufflinks made much of a difference when he wasn't even inlove with the girl. He could barely even stand her. They'd met briefly at the rehearsal dinner and the girl's laugh was as irritating now as it had been all those years ago.

But what had really grated on his nerves was his grandfather. The filthy criminal was still out and about, as arrogant and flippant as he ever was. Draco had hoped that perhaps Punickle's incarceration would drag Malfoy Senior Senior along as well, but no such luck. The old man had loyal contacts in the ministry and his donations were just too valuable to lose. It all made Draco sick to his stomach. What was worse, he knew he'd turn into that. He would become untouchable by law or sin. He would forever be a Malfoy, infalliable as God.

Draco looked down at his hands, slumping in his chair that stood infront of the bureau in his changing room. He could vaguely hear the echoes of hundreds of people trickling into the huge cathedral beyond his locked door. If he had his way, the roof would cave in and everyone under it would be killed. But this was reality and that roof had held up for almost as long as the Malfoy line. It wasn't about to fall just because Draco wished it...though it should.

Raking a hand through his mussed hair, Draco sighed and stared out the window of the room. How had he gotten into this situation? When had things gone so horribly wrong? Weren't Malfoys supposed to be able to control their fate? So then, what happened? Why was he forced into marriage by a person he barely tolerated?

He supposed he should look on the bright side of things, at the very least. He was going to gain more power than his grandfather, and then he could do whatever he wanted...within reason. Naturally, everything he could ever want wouldn't be what he truly wanted in the end...Could he make do with an endless vault and the ability to indulge his vest and shoe fetish?

"Optimism seems to get you by. I'm a prime example. If I had given into the evils of my life, I'd be dead by now." Draco turned his nose up, sniffing carefully at the cinnamon-laced air of the kitchens. "I believe if life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

Jimmy giggled and plucked a pastry from the tray the Hogwarts house elf offered him. "Then find someone who was given vodka, and have a party."

Draco laced his fingers together and dropped his head into them. How long ago that day felt now. Would he ever be able to see Jimmy again? Was it even wise to? Could he maybe keep Jimmy as a lover behind closed doors?

With Tallen haunting his every step, it seemed likely that the Potter was completely out of his life. So what then? Could he learn to live without the brunette? He'd lasted seventeen years without his companionship, Draco could do the rest of his life...

His eyes stung at that thought. Weaving long fingers through his limp locks, Draco closed his eyes against the onslaught of tears._He rolled over onto his stomach on the large four-poster bed, marking his page with a finger. "What do you fear?"_

_Draco kept his eyes on his homework, scribbling as deftly as if the question hadn't been asked. "You leaving me and being all alone...what do _you_ fear?"_

_Jimmy looked thoughtful for a moment, then replied simply. "Seagulls."_

Draco squeezed his eyes shut tighter, feeling a horrible uproar clutch his insides.

Jimmy spun on his heel, taking his fifteenth lap round his room. His hands wrung in manic circles and he looked all but ready to fall apart. He continued to mutter to himself and Draco couldn't stop the eighteen year old even if he was able to. "I've had all that I can take. I'm not about to break again...I'm happy now...I'm happy now...I'm happy now...I'm happy now..."

Tears welled in his eyes and he was tempted to just let the blasted things fall. He was exhausted from trying so hard to stay together. He didn't think it would be this difficult, but the Potter had wormed his way deep into Draco's soul and he was refusing to move.

Soft grass swept against his ankles as he stalked through the lawn to a lone figure propped against a tree. Spring had certainly come, and with it, bright blue skies, fluffy clouds and a sense of dread.Skye was growing closer to Jimmy, he could feel it. But the boy was pulling away from him. He could feel that even more. It had to stop. He couldn't lose Jimmy, too. "Potter."

The boy turned, glaring heatedly at the approaching blond." Malfoy."

He stopped short of the brunette and slammed him against the tree. Jimmy gasped, his face wincing with surprise before anger slid back across his features. " The hell Draco!"

"Now you listen here, I won't stand for any of this self-isolating bullshit. You are my best friend, so you better well start acting like it."

Jimmy huffed," Don't tell me what to do."

"I will, and I just did. Either you get over whatever is it that has crawled up your arse, or I'll let my boot join with it."

"Oh just shut up, will you Draco? You know your threats are empty. You couldn't do a damn thing to me."

"Wanna bet?"

"Yeah. Go ahead. Shove a boot up my ass, chew my head off, hex me a new one. I'd just LOVE to see you try."

"What the hell has gotten into you!"

"Nothing!"

"Liar!"

"Look who's talking!"

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me! You're a fucking liar!"

"How?"

"You told me you and Blaise were just friends! LIAR!"

A coldness swept up his neck. "Jimmy...I..."

"Save it. I have to go, Skye is waiting for me. Atleast SHE doesn't lie to me."

"Wait."

"What?"

"Jimmy, I...I apologize for lying to you.Me and Blaise...it was just a stupid kiss two years ago...we're nothing...YOU mean more to me than he ever could."

Green eyes softened, pale fingers clasped round a tan wrist. The spring breeze blew through gold and ebony hair as a whisper circled round slender bodies. Then Jimmy jerked free and ran back up to the castle, leaving Draco staring at bark, his heart in his throat and his face a deep red.

Blurting out various curses, he failed to notice a knock on his door and the thing swing open a bit to admit an ebony-haired beauty.

Doing a quick double take, Draco forced his heart back into his chest and leaned back in his armchair.

"What do you want Potter?"

The elder Potter slipped into the room, pressing back against the door as it shut behind him. He was chewing on his lip, an irritating habit he hadn't seemed to lose since Hogwarts, and stared at Draco in that unnervingly penetrating way he was gifted with.

Draco gave a heavy sigh and heaved himself from his seat, leaning on the vanity to peer at himself in the mirror." I repeat, what do you want Potter. I'm remarkably busy at the moment. You know, getting married and all that."

"Why."

Draco arched a brow, a smirk managing to tug at the corner of his lips."Well...when a girl and a boy feel a certain way for eachother, and they want to shag without guilt, they sometimes-"

"Stop with the facade, Draco, you're not fooling me."

The blond turned, a look of surprise spreading across his face. Unfortunately, the sheepish expression on Potter's had disappeared and a dark glare had replaced it. "I don't follow."

"Then follow this; I KNOW you love Jimmy. I'm not blind."

Draco smirked."You and your boyfriend are two peas in a pod."

Potter grimaced slightly then strode into the room completely. His presence still commanded full attention, as it always did. Damn him. "You can sass yourself out of this all you want, but I know the truth. You and Jimmy were inlove."

Draco sneered and sat back on the bureau, folding his arms." Oh? And how do you figure that?"

Potter's glare seemed to take on monumental proportions. It practically crackled the air round them, singing Draco's hair. "I found blood in his pants for starters. Then there's the nail marks on his back, the love bite on his shoulder and most importantly, his necklace wrapped around _your_ neck."

Draco reached up unconsciously, cradling the pendant protectively in his fist. There was nothing he could say to that. Again, the blond was astounded at the random astuteness Potter seemed to show every now and again.

The Gryffindor walked forward and grabbed Draco by the arms, forcing him to look up. Staring into those disconcerting emerald eyes, Draco knew the boy didn't come here for a pre-ceremony pep talk. Damn, where had he put his wand?

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that you're happy with this."

Draco gritted his jaw," I'm happy with this."

The brunette's eye twitched and the next thing he knew, he was lying sprawled out on the vanity, jars of creams and cologne shattering on the floor.

"I TOLD you not to sass me! I'm not a moron. I see things, even when everyone thinks I'm not paying attention," Potter stepped in, gathering the blond's collar in his fist. Shit he had gotten tall." I always knew there was something going on between you two, I just never knew it was to this extent. But now, now that Jimmy finally got the nerve to show his feelings for you, now that he gave you his body, now that he's actually being honest with himself and admitting that it had always been _you_, not Skye, you go off and get engaged."

Draco sneered, reaching up to pry Potter's hands off of him."Now that we're done with catch-up time, I have a wedding to get to."

Potter slammed him roughly back, and he heard the glass break."I trusted you! After everything! After you lied, after Voldemort took Hermione and Cienna died, I _trusted_ you! "

The angry tears quickly shining in Potter's eyes alarmed Draco and the sickening nausea of the truth behind his words made the blond wish he had never looked at Harry Potter.

Potter shoved him forcefully one more time, his eyes flashing, his lip curling and his long hair crowning his face." That was my BROTHER, Malfoy! My BROTHER! You can fuck with me, fate, the safety of the wizarding world, even Hades itself, but fucking with my brother is something I'll NEVER forgive!"

Draco winced as Potter backed up, a horrible cold look on his usually warm features.

"Why do I even bother with you anymore? You haven't changed one bit. You're exactly what your father always wanted you to be...Something like you never even _deserved_ Jimmy."

Draco squeezed his eyes closed once more, his breath catching in his throat painfully.

"God, you're pathetic..."

Acting on a spur of fury and pain, Draco brandished his wand at the boy, tears falling down his face and a spell that would hopefully equal his current humiliation, on his lips." _Legilimens _!" Draco stumbled back at the whirlwind of memories that suddenly flooded his mind in brief flashes._Harry frowned slightly, glancing at the others, "Why would you want an interview?""Well, so the school would know how it made you feel when nobody believed you about You-Know-Who and how the truth affects your life now that everybody knows you were telling the truth. "_

/flash/

_" Harry, are you...? I mean. Will...? Um...would...?"Harry smirked and took another glance at her, " I'd love to go with you, 'Mione."/flash/"SHUT UP! YOU COULD'VE KILLED HIM! YOU COULD'VE STOPPED HIM BEFORE HE CAME AFTER MY MOTHER! YOU COULD'VE KILLED THAT BASTARD AND MY DAD...MY MUM WOULD'VE BEEN FINE! ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! **ITS ALL YOUR FAULT**!"/flash/Harry sprung to his feet, "Oh would you SHUT UP, Ron! His bloody mother died and I didn't want him being alone after something like that! And if you don't like it, you can blow it up the a-"/flash/_

"_So,um...whats your name?" Harry asked.__"Oh, god, how rude of me. My name's Cienna Parker..."_

/flash/

_Harry quickly dropped to the ground and rushed to the lump that lay lifeless in the dirt. He let his wand slip from his grasp as he knelt besides it. He reached down and pulled the thing into his arms, and what lay there was the limp, bloody body of Pansy Parkinson./flash/He stumbled and fell to the ground where he was jerked back up painfully and slammed against another tree. He grunted and winced as very tight ropes were instantly drawn around his body."Ah.Our guest of honor has arrived..."_

Potter struggled to push him out, but Draco pressed onward. He was learning, and getting closer...

/flash/

_"Can I borrow a fag?"_

_The boy looked over, looking intrigued and pulled his pack from his back pocket. Extending it out, he shook it till a few ciggarettes peeked from the red box. The teenage boy with exceptionally unruly hair plucked one of the smokes from its pack and stepped back._

_Harry gazed down at the stick in his hand, "So, I, uh, heard Billy owes you alot of money..."_

_The boy chuckled. "Yeah, arrogant ass. Thinking I wouldn't notice that his payment hadn't arrived with the others." He said, taking a long drag from the dwindling cig._

_How much was it anyway?"_

_"500. Not much, of course, but its not like I have any to begin with," The boy replied, looking nonchalantly up at the sky._

_Harry nodded a bit," Money's money...So, why exactly did Billy skip out?"_

_"Beats me. Probably ashamed he lost to a 17 year old," He answered, taking another long inhale._

_"Lost?"_

_"Yeah, lost..Oh, don't tell me you're one of those who think HE won? Damn.. I'm telling ya, I was atleast a good foot infront of him and I crossed the finish line WAY before he did. It was a clean win, any idiot could've seen that," The boy retorted, flicking aside the butt of his cig. "Wasn't my fault he can't drive worth shit and almost blew out his engine."_

/flash/

_"...I love you , Harry, and like Mum and Dad, I'm willing to die for you."_

/flash/

_"I didn't kill her, though I wish I had. Skye doesn't need people like that in her life," Jimmy answered through gritted teeth._

_"But _you_ could do better?" Voldemort quipped, gaining satisfaction at the flush that graced Jimmy's face."At least I'm willing to try, unlike her parents," Jimmy spat the last word out of his mouth, as if its taste was bitter." We'll kill you and free Skye from the curse you and that devil of a woman forced upon her."_

Draco gritted his teeth, willing the images to stop now, but it was too late. Potter's memories were too strong, too vivid, and he so badly wanted to know more about that night and the deep, dark things Jimmy never told him...

/flash/

_"I know your passst, Jamesss. I know it ssso well, for it would've been my own had I not taken mattersss into my own handsss... The orphanage," _

_Jimmy kept his eyes glued on the cobblestone ground, using all of his strength to get to all fours._

_" The lonelinessss. The pain...Oh, Jamesss, sssuch a pitiful childhood, indeed._

_"They abandoned you, Jamesss. They left you for dead. Do you think they actually wanted you? You appeared, ssso of courssse they took you in. What elssse could thossse do-goodersss do? Turn you away? But I know you saw the situation for what it wasss..You're a sssmart lad. You knew what really happened; They took you in becaussse they were obligated to do it. No one goesss againssst the wishesss of Harry Potter. Do they? Harry Potter wantsss a brother, he getsss a brother. You sssaw that and you ssstill sssee it." Ssso you sssay thatsss not how you felt all thossse monthsss? All thossse argumentsss were for fun? All thossse long nightsss, crying? All that resssentment? It wasssn't to ssspite thisss life they forced upon you? "_

_"Its not like that! H-harry gave me a life! He's my **family**!"_

_"What family tearsss you away from all you've known jussst to ssstick you in sssomebody elssse'sss ssshadow?"_

_"He didn't mean it! He meant all for the best!" Jimmy groaned miserably._

_"YOU'RE SSSECOND BESSST TO HIM! AND YOU KNOW IT'SSS TRUE!""I'm not second best!"Voldemort rounded on him, glaring down with red hot fury.,"You're sssecond best, thatsss why they ssshipped you off to the Americasss without another thought. Thatsss why you lived alone and never once trusssted anyone.Thatsss why you're willing to die for your brother. You think by dying a heroic death, atleassst you would get some recognition outssside the Potter fame."_

_"Stop it! STOP IT!"_

_"Itsss the truth!"_

_"FINE! FINE! ITS TRUE! ITS TRUE!" Jimmy wailed, his hands embedded in his thoroughly mussed hair." I hated moving away! I hated proving to everyone that I was something big and grand JUST because I was a fucking Potter I hated living everyday in Harry's shadow, knowing I'd never be anything greater than what he is! Knowing I'd never get a chance for myself because he was my brother! Knowing that he'd always be better than me!..I hate my life! **I HATE MY LIFE**!"_

/flash/

_"You-you...know how much Skye loved you, right? ... Jimmy...She...Skye leapt in front of us as the death-curse was being performed. She...She was killed."Jimmy pushed himself upright and buried himself in his brother. Harry clenched his jaw as he held onto the brunette firmly, letting him convulse with heart-wrenching sobs. The Infirmary walls soon echoed back the hysterical cries of anguish._

/flash/

_"It'll always be our little secret."_

_Jimmy grinned, playfully flicking a long lock of ebony out of his brother's green eyes before whispering back, "Always."_

Draco was violently thrown backwards, landing roughly against the bureau, panting heavily. Dazedly, he stared at the brunette who had sunk to his knees, his body trembling. Green eyes blinked furiously as tears spilled down pale cheeks.

Suddenly those full lips pulled back with a sneer and a cold, crisp voice cut through the air." Satisfied?"

Draco searched for words, watching with numb shock as Potter staggered to his feet and smoothed down his dress robes.

"He went through hell, lost as many people as I had, and yet he was still willing to give a pitiful rat like **you** his heart." Potter sniffed, his piercing eyes glinting behind his glasses.

Draco shook his head, grappling for words to make him stop. No. No this wasn't right. He cared for Jimmy...so badly...He cherished the boy and everything he had sacrificed to be with the blond. Jimmy hadn't cared about his name or his money or his family...he had stayed at Draco's side no matter what...just like..."Harry. Wait."

The boy stopped at the door, his hand on the knob. He stood there for a few moments before turning.

Draco looked down at his hands, gathering his wits. All those memories had left him unsettled with a much too clear insight into the Gryffindor." I'm sorry, Harry...I abused your trust and I know I don't deserve either you or Jimmy...but you must understand, I grew up as a pureblood.I have expectations you couldn't fathom."

"Couldn't I?" He spat, seething." I pushed away the only man I ever loved because its considered illegal. I might not have grown up a pureblood, but I grew up The Boy-Who-Lived. I'd say thats pretty damn close."

Draco stared at him, wondering where on Earth the uncertain, sheepish school boy went and when this demanding, straight-forward man took his place. "You're right...but it still doesn't change the fact that we live in a world where things are expected of us...Because if I'm not mistaken, you are still not with Weasley."

Harry looked as if he'd been pinched, but his expression remarkably softened."I know my situation is hopeless, but GOD Malfoy, you could change yours! You could be happy and get what you want! Just stop kidding yourself and forget about this stupid pureblood bullshit!"

The blond lifted himself carefully to his feet, surprisingly not miffed that his new shoes were scuffed."I can't...I'm sorry, Harry..."

He shook his head, all semblences of anger vanishing from his face to be replaced with complete sadness."No, I'm sorry...You could've had happiness. I'm sorry you're too much of a coward to take it."

Draco gazed blankly at his ruined dress shoes and felt an odd sort of feeling settle over him as Potter left the room. It wasn't exactly numbness, but it wasn't exactly pain. It was a strange inbetween and Draco decided it would have to do for now. He had the rest of his life to agonize over what just happened.

After everything their relationship had endured, that fight seemed to have disturbed him greater than betraying Granger by not helping her out. All of his words were like red hot knives stabbing repeatedly at his well-crafted barriers.

"Ca fait mal...et ca m'est egal, n'est ce pas?...Madre! Aide-moi!"

"You put the frog where...?"

Draco looked up sharply to see Weasley enter the room cautiously, looking quite smashing in simple coal dress robes. "What're you doing here?"

The redhead walked over to him, a frown already on his face."The ceremony's about to start, they sent me to come find you...Are you alright?"

Draco sniffed and straightened out, adjusting his vest." Of course. Why do you ask?"

Weasley pointed to his head, a bemused expression on his face." Your hair is a nightmare."

Turning to regard the broken mirror, he could see himself in the jagged shards and it didn't seem to better the situaton. His reflection seemed to perfectly match how he felt inside. Broken into eratic pieces, confused, distorted and a complete mess. Sighing, Draco swept his hair back into a low ponytail and tied it with a silk ribbon. Luckily, his white robes hadn't gotten too rumpled or dirty, though there was a slash on his back just beneath his cape. But he didn't care.

"Malfoy...are you absolutely sure about this?"

Draco looked at the boy's reflection, jealous of his golden skin and shiny copper hair. "No. Now lets get going before my grandfather sends out a search party."

Weasley hesitated, looking uncertain. "You know...Punickle's going to be put under Veritaserum tomorrow evening...His confession about the kidnapping is going to be documented again."

Draco knew where he was going with this, and it was a pointless attempt." Don't bother, Weasely. My grandfather made sure he would get away clean. And I as his grandson can't do much to sway that."

"But Malfoy, you don't understand-"

"I understand perfectly. I know my duties, so I wish people would stop assuming they know how to lead my life better than I do."

"But Malfoy, the elections-"

"Will probably have Fudge in office again. He's easy to control."

"Malfoy, you don't get it. Ginny, she and Jimmy-"

"Come Weasely, the guests must be getting anxious." He led the way out of the room and down the empty hallway. He could hear the redhead's footfalls heavier than usual. He supposed the boy felt as if he'd failed. Well, no worries Weaselbee, it was a losing battle you went into. Pausing at the tall double doors, Draco turned to the boy. "Little hit."

Weasley blinked, then slap.

Draco scowled, "Don't be gay in God's house."

The redhead glared and slapped him unnecessarily hard."Yeah?"

Draco winced, rubbing his stinging cheek. "Yeah."

The two entered the chapel's east side, causing an instant uproar as they crossed the front of the altar to take their places by the priest. Cameras flashed like crazy and people murmured amongst themselves excitedly.

Draco grimaced as he saw Tallen Malfoy Senior sitting in the front pew, looking as stone-faced and dominating as ever. Again that fantasy of a cave in was starting to look delicious. Shifting his gaze from the old man, his eyes landed on a very familiar face that only minutes ago tried fervently to make him change his mind.

It was surprising Harry had decided to stay for the ceremony. What with the fit he had thrown, Draco had assumed he'd be well on his way to finding a new lover for his twin. But no, there he was, sitting on the groom's side, shockingly the second pew, causing his own phenomenon from flustered witches who were seated around him. Well, it wasn't surprising. He looked gorgeous in that broody Gryffindor sort of way.

Damn him for looking so much like Jimmy...it felt as if that very boy was staring at him right then, judging him for abadoning the love they had too briefly shared.

Oh merlin, what was he doing? Draco quickly looked away, turning to face the priest. Just take deep breaths, focus on the sashes on the altar, don't think about Jimmy... About the way he would snigger when something sexually suggestive was said, the way his lips wrapped so delicately round his cigarette as he smoked it lazily on the porch, the way his hair swept across his forehead as he rolled over in his sleep, the way a single tear could hold such longing as it glided down his cheek...

The church organs boomed through the room and the crowd quieted instantly as the back double doors were opened slowly. Draco didn't watch as his bride marched down the aisle, and he didn't watch as she flanked his side. He didn't react as she took his hand and he didn't react when the priest started to receit the marriage ritual.

He saw the padre lift the marriage sash and he saw Weasley shifting uncomfortably at his side. He saw Louise beam from beneath her sheer white veil and he saw Dumbledore trying to look happy, though his smile never reached his blue eyes.

He saw Harry sitting in his second row seat, green eyes reaching across the distance to strangle him. He saw him with a perpetual grimace, as if he had some foul taste in his mouth. And he saw that this young man, who'd been betrayed by him numerously, still valued him enough to try to get him to stop. Because even though Harry's words had been harsh and he'd been ultimately cruel, it had all been because he was hurt as well. Harry had trusted that not only would Draco makeup for lying to him, but also take care of his only living relative.

And Draco had betrayed that trust.

That didn't just hurt him, or Harry...it hurt the very person he swore he'd never hurt.

A searing fire stung at his eyes and he fought to keep control. His fist clutched at the pendant hanging from his neck and rubbed it continuously, finding a little comfort, but not enough to stiffle the pain blooming in his chest.

The room was swaying, slipping in and out of focus. All the faces blurred together like a water painting, until he was left by himself in a world of bleeding color. Everything was falling apart right before his eyes and he felt helpless to stop it. He didn't want to get married so young. He didn't want to live with someone he'd never love. He didn't want to give up the only good thing that came from his awful last year at Hogwarts. He didn't want to keep hurting Harry and giving Ron a valid reason to confirm that he had been right about Draco all along...He didn't wany any of this!

He didn't want the stupid money or the stupid manor that was filled with his father's stupid things! He didn't want the stupid job and the stupid power! He didn't want the stupid name and all the stupid obligations that came with it! He wanted to be free! Free to be a hero or a degenerate or a rockstar!

_True love will come in the eyes of dragon._

But most of all, he wanted to be free to make a fortune come true for a beautiful man who'd never done anything but love him.

So Draco did just that. Without a moment's hesitation, he wrung his wrist free of the sash tied with Louise's, threw off his cape and turned to race down the petal-covered staircase. Pausing only long enough to catch a rather smug look on Harry's face, Draco sprinted from the chuch, bowling over guests who'd tried to either catch a photo of him or stop him, and Disapparated as soon as he was clear of the church's sacred barriers.

He didn't bother wasting another second as he appeared in the back of the Leaky Cauldron and thundered through the pub, almost getting knocked over by a startled Rubeus Hagrid.

"Malfoy! Ain't ye supposed ta be gettin' married?"

"Not today atleast!" He called back gleefully.

The giant scratched his head, but Draco spared no more time on the man as he hurriedly tapped the back wall's bricks and scrambled through the archway soon as there was enough room. People leapt aside left and right as he battled his way through a snow-covered Diagon Alley.

Witches and wizards alike were nothing but stumped as they watched Draco Malfoy, who was supposed to be in the middle of one of the century's largest grandeuese weddings imaginable, race past them and up the Ministry steps.

Draco slammed through the front doors, and barreled across the lobby, seeing most of the Officials filing out of the conference room, alongside the few reporters who hadn't gone to the Malfoy-Lestrange wedding. He knocked down several Ministry Officials in his effort to scramble up to the first recognizable face he spotted in the crowd emptying the conference.

"Granger! Oi Granger!"

The girl jumped and upsetted her cup of coffee all over her skirt." Malfoy? Aren't you supposed to be getting married?"

Draco waved his hand impatiently," Yes yes. Where's Jimmy?"

Granger blinked." As in Potter?

"No, as in the nursery rhyme. YES, Potter, you daft woman."

Apparently too startled to reprimand him, she pointed over her shoulder." Back there, coming out of the inauguration with Ginny Weasely-"

Draco tore across the crowded hallway, bumping people, spilling things and causing quite a ruckus.

"Malfoy! Why aren't you at your wedding?"

"Weren't you supposed to get married today?"

"What're you doing here?"

"You look like a mess!"

"Did you hear about your boss!"

Draco slowed as he neared the boy, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His lungs burned, his cold skin was damp with sweat, his hair had come free of the ponytail and a voice like a gentle breeze on the hillsides of Marseilles kept whispering in his head, _true love will come in the eyes of dragon_.

Ginny was the first to see him. Then the rest of the officials who surrounded them did, then finally Jimmy. His green eyes widened in surprise and only had enough time to widen further before they slid shut in submission to pleasure.

Gasps echoed throughout the floor, officials besides themselves with shock and outrage. Shouts of protest rang across the crowds and sneaky journalists struggled to get closer. A single shrill cry of "Bother them and I send you all to Azkaban!" was enough to stop the pandemonium long enough for everyone's attention to turn back to the pair of young men who had started the whole scene.

Thing was, they couldn't care less what was happening. Not the gaping stares or the piles of files and documents sprawled round their feet that had escaped the brunette's arms or even the flashes of cameras. For at the moment, they were too lost in eachother's tight embrace and warm lips to care what the headlines said the next morning. Because they'd made their choice. And it had always been in them...a withered psychic in Miami had even said so.

* * *

Excerpt from "It Will Come To Us"

------

Yelping and blushing from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes at the thigh that slipped between his legs, Harry fumbled to push the boy away. "Are you insane? There're customers here!"

Ron's lips came fractions away from his," So?"

"SO!" Harry exclaimed, then quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. Glaring at his friend, he moved his fingers only enough to hiss," 'So' you say. If anyone sees-"

"It won't do a damn thing. Thanks to this morning's paper, everyone thinks we're together anyways. "

Harry faltered, "But-"

"Look Harry. Punickle's in prison, Malfoy Senior's set up to do the same. Jimmy and Malfoy didn't seem to mind that the whole world knew about them."

"Yeah, but thats THEM, Ron. I'm not them." He replied. Ok, so he probably could've come up with a better tactic than the whole 'why? well BECAUSE' routine, but he was at a loss. All his reasons for saying no to this had vanished. He couldn't help himself. He was Harry Potter, his life was always one crisis after another and it was hard to just let go for once and be happy. Especially if it involved his very best friend.

Ron sighed exasperatedly and leaned in further, making Harry's cheeks burn."How long do you think I'm going to put up with this?"

"P-put up with...? What?"

Ron softly brushed his lips against Harry's, making the brunette gasp and grapple to push him away. The redhead didn't seem to appreciate this since he pulled away, his hands as tight as ever on his friend's arms." _That_... Are you ashamed of me, Harry? Is that it?"

Harry's eyes widened," NO! Oh god, no! Ron, don't ever think that!"

The boy's eyes softened,"Then why do you keep pushing me away?"

_more to come!_


	21. It Will Come To Us

Hullo Gentle Readers!

OMFG! I KNOW::gives you all several minutes to wake up from your faints and bouts of shock:... . ::checks watch::...siiiigh...::taps foot::...OKOK! Time's up.

But yes, I KNOW its been a friggin while and I apologize repeatedly. But after getting to a certain part, it occured to me that this chapter would be WAAAAAAAAAAAY to long to post in one go, soooo, I've had to split it up into two parts. Better for you.  
Well, I'll keep this short and sweet since I know ya'll are anxious to get going on the last chapter of GRAVITY...I promise you, the second part WILL be up within the week. Scout's honor...though I SHOULD mention I've never actually been a scout...

BESIDES THE POINT!

Enjoy and **REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**!!!

* * *

+ Tim Everett- 'Forever Endings'+  
+ Snow Patrol- 'Run' +

Harry Potter has always put his friends before himself. Thats just the way things were. Ever since he made his very first friend aboard the Hogwarts Express, he wanted to protect those who made him feel loved, in face of perpetual loneliness placed by the Dursleys. But is it time to let them protect themselves? Can Harry continue to protect Ron from Punickle, the press, even Harry himself, at the price of his own happiness?

Can Harry make up his mind before its too late?

Or...is it already too late?

- - - -

"_ Head of Programs of the Department of Mysteries, Eustace Punickle, has just stood trial for suspicion of using illegal spells, charms and potions for personal use, early this morning. In addition to misuse, he was also accused of threatening and blackmailing several Unspeakables and slowly filtering out funds into his personal Swiss bank account. _

What came as a shock more than Punickle's unsavory professionalism, was the revelation during his time on the stand, that he took part in the kidnapping of wizarding legend, 19 year-old Harry Potter.

Eustace Punickle was found guilty by the wizengamot on all accounts and was sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban without the possibility of pardon.

Many are stunned to realize such scandal exists in our very own Ministry, but none are more stunned than Punickle's very own colleagues, who had had no idea the man was doing such corrupt things right under their noses.

_' If I had known this illegal use of resources was going on, I never would have had my Aurors help out his department so much," says an infuriated John Yungbrood, Head of the Auror Office.After saying this, there seemed to be a ruckus coming from the convicted Punickle and the Aurors hauling him off to Azkaban. In a fit of madness, perhaps maybe even revenge, the man declared that he had been bought by none other than Tallen Malfoy Senior, the wizarding world's most powerful pureblood wizard. The accused shrieked his innocence and quite the scuffle broke out._

_There was pandemonium, Malfoy Senior was escorted into an antechamber and it seemed no one but this reporter heard Punickle's last spiteful declarations before he was shoved out the door by a spiky-haired Auror._

_'Ronald Weasley is a dirty fag! It was _him_ in that photo! It was HIM and that whorish Potter!'_

Whether or not this allegation is true or not, I'm sure many a head will now be turned in the direction of the two notorious best friends and their questionable friendship. It seems the Potters have wrecked quite the havoc among the Pureblood circle as of late. Should it come as a surprise that the Boy-Who-Lived-Again should take on a Weasley lover when his twin had outright kidnapped young Draco Malfoy from the eligible Louise Lestrange, at their very own wedding no less? It appears the brothers have no remorse when it comes to their love lives and the chaos they leave in their wake--"

He threw down the paper, a look of disgust on his face. Resisting the urge to Incendio it, Harry Potter instead crumpled up the _Daily Prophet_ and chucked it into the garbage. He was going to have a word or ten with the Head Editor. That reporter was nothing more than a gossiper with a high title.

Harry grumbled and pushed himself from the kitchen table, making his way into the living room to find his glasses. At the sight of the sofa, a horrible blush spread across his face and Harry was hard pressed to forget the VERY vivid image of Malfoy and his brother entangled ontop of it.

It had been around twenty minutes after Malfoy had raced from the chapel before people started to rouse from the shock. Harry had been actually pretty proud of him. Feeling as if he'd done something very grand and not wanting to linger around to get asked a million questions by reporters and cornered by a confused looking Ron, the brunette had Disapparated back home.

It was then that he was reminded that he needed to stop using his Auror stealth and start being noisier, because then he wouldn't have had to walk in on Draco Malfoy shagging the hell out of Jimmy, in the middle of their bloody living room.

Those sounds would never fade from his memory, and even the slightest recall of them made his cheeks burn.

He was turning into a perverted voyeur, but it wasn't like he could avoid it.

It had been around two weeks since the failed wedding, and one day since the trial, and it seemed everywhere he went in Potter Asylum, he was stumbling upon Draco and Jimmy going at it. It was growing to be very embarrassing.

The pair didn't seem to mind, however. Infact, more than once they'd asked if Harry wanted to join.

So he had made it a point to stay as little as possible at home. It was safer that way, both for his sanity and his virtue. He wasn't mortified enough to not admit that Draco was gorgeous and Jimmy was an enthusiastic lover. He WAS a healthy young man, after all...It was all Jimmy and Draco's fault. They tainted his innocent mind with pornographic sex.

Harry gave a sigh and threw on his jacket as the distinct sound of a headboard banging against the wall hit his ears.

Since he hadn't gone through with the marriage, Malfoy's inheritance was denied and he was now broke and homeless. But it hadn't been an issue, since that very day he moved the little that he was left with (like TONS of clothes, a ridiculous amount of shoes, books and his mother's things) into Jimmy's room and now took up permanent residence there. It was just unnerving to be taking a shower and have a shameless blond man try to throw you out because he ALWAYS took a bath at five o'clock every evening.

The guy needed a job and he needed to stop shagging Jimmy against every surface they came across. Honestly! They were acting like a pair of sex-crazed teenagers. It was revolting. Harry couldn't find any place other than the garden (and that was just because Draco didn't find having sex outside to be sanitary) that he could relax at and not have to be reminded that the couple just shagged on it a few minutes ago.

Harry tucked his wand up his sleeve and headed out the door into the crisp December morning. The days were getting shorter and colder, but they were still pretty. The sky was littered with big grey clouds that threatened snow any day now. Luckily though, it hadn't snowed in these parts quite yet. He could still enjoy the vibrant oranges, reds and yellows of the trees lining the road and the forest.

He loved fall. He one day dreamed of finding that stone circle his parents had danced in the leaves at. Perhaps he'd take another picture to go along with it. Maybe Ron would want to-

Shaking the thought from his head, Harry Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and headed out onto Diagon Alley. It probably wasn't too smart, what with this morning's paper, but Harry had his long hair hidden beneath a beanie (which also covered his scar luckily) and he'd worn his contacts today so there was close to no chance of anyone recognizing him.

"Yoo-hoo! Harry!"

Well scratch that.

"Glad I caught up with you before your shift at the shop," Ginny said as she scrambled to catch up. Her hair was swept up in a business-like bun and her robes were pressed and clean-cut."I just wanted to let you know I took the liberty of rerooting your mail to Kingsley so all the hate mail coming in won't interfer with anything."

Harry nodded and pulled the collar of his jacket higher up."Thanks. I can only imagine the sort of stuff I'm bound to get this time round."

Ginny looked at him sympathetically and rubbed his arm."I know its been rough, but I think things will get better. Everyone's just jealous anyways."

"Jealous? Of what?" He asked, arching a brow.

"Of _you_ of course. You're so successful and powerful and talented and handsome, you went and decided to snag a _man_. About 51 of the population is devastated. Probably 91 if the men would just be honest with themselves."

Harry chuckled and tucked his cold hands into his pockets."And I'm sure Draco shacking up with us makes it all the more better."

Ginny cooed and gripped onto his arm excitedly." Oh I know! I had never seen anything as fabulous as those two snogging eachother's brains out! Hermione managed to get a photo and we made copies to pass out at the celebration tonight at Black Manor."

Harry frowned." What celebration?"

"For Punickle's conviction, Malfoy Senior's arrest that I just pushed through and of course, Jimmy and Malfoy's resulting shag-fest."

Harry snorted and stopped infront of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes."You want to celebrate them having sex all over the house?"

Ginny's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open."They shag all over the house!...Can I live with you too?"

The brunette shoved her away playfully and made to walk into the store.

"Don't forget, I have nominated you to get the alcohol." Ginny grinned, holding the door open for him." Oh, and be a doll and tell Ron about it as well."

Harry turned with a frown, his heart leaping into his throat." Why do _I_ have to? You could very well do it, too."

Ginny looked pained, as if it were a great inconvience for Harry to be arguing with her."Because, you know how busy I am now with my new job. Its always work work work, I never get a moment for myself."

Harry smirked at her," Imagine, being a Minister and actually doing _work_. You poor thing. The nerve of your underlings."

"Oh har har. I'd like to see the Great and Noble Harry Potter handle all those complaining Officials all day long in addition to Jimmy never showing up on time because he's been too busy sexing his new boytoy." Ginny said, then spun on her heel, hurrying back down the road." REMEMBER! BOOZE, RON, SIX O'CLOCK, FUN FUN FUN!"

Harry waved in acknowledgement and headed inside the shop, closing the door behind him. He sighed at the toasty warmth of the store as he walked to the counter, taking off his jacket on the way. He was actually fifteen minutes early, but that was alright. Only two people were in the shop, and they were currently too preoccupied with the Extendable Ears to need any help.

So Harry ducked under the counter and slipped into the backroom. He was about to hang his jacket up and perhaps make himself a cup of cocoa when the door leading into the alley chimed open and a stack of boxes emerged from round the corner. A grunt came from behind the boxes as they clipped the corner, and Harry rushed forward to take about half the stack.

He was more than a little surprised to see Ron's face on the other side of the boxes, his nose and cheeks red from the winter cold and copper-gold hair peeking out from under an orange and brown Weasley winter hat.

"T-thanks."

"No problem." Shrugging off his shock, Harry set down the boxes ontop of the others he needed to stock that day and went to grab the clipboard to update the inventory. Ron grabbed his wrist and tugged him back, his body slamming into the redhead's.

Harry stared, bewildered, and tried hard not to think about how much he loved it when Ron did things like that. "What?"

Ron gazed at him for a few quiet moments, his sapphire eyes flashing with a hundred different thoughts. His fingers tightened round the brunette's wrist and he leaned in marginally, anxious words on his lips." Harry, I..."

The boy rose his eyebrows expectantly, feeling far too warm right then to back away." You...?"

"I...I brought in the new shipment of love potions George just finished up on. He said you'd been expecting them all week."

Harry blinked, not expecting this change of subject." Er, yeah, I guess I have...Um, thanks Ron."

The redhead nodded and stepped back, busying himself with carrying two boxes to the front where Harry had readied a display for the new potions. Harry watched after him, sufficiently confused, but decided it might be better this way. Picking up the clipboard he had dropped, he got started on taking inventory.

A quiet hour had passed and Harry was starting to get worried. Ron hadn't come back for the rest of the boxes and nothing but a few excited whispers from customers were heard from the front. Arching a quizzical brow, he walked out from the back room and tucked his quill behind his ear as he saw the redhead pacing back and forth infront of the register, muttering nervously to himself. Harry frowned amusedly and leaned against the counter, propping his chin in his palm and watched his friend.

" 'Say, so, how 'bout those Canons?'... No no no, thats not it...' Want- 'no CARE- '_Care_ to come with me for a drink?'...No no, thats not it either..._DAMN_!"

"How bout, 'fancy a shag now or later?' "

Ron stopped dead and paled, turning with a mortified face to see a sniggering Harry perched on the stool behind the register. "Harry! What? Sure! Wait- I mean, NO! I mean- Oh bloody hell!"

Perhaps he was having too much fun watching Ron go bright red and trail off in humiliation. It was very mean of him to tease the boy. It looked as if he were trying to work out a pickup line or something, and was obviously not going anywhere. It was hard to ignore the pang of jealousy that came unbidden at that thought. "Have you been out here this entire time?"

Ron dug his hands into his pockets, the sheepish look on his face making him look like a very tall pouting kid. "Maybe...that displays real nice, by the way."

Harry spared a glance over at the display in question and smiled. The thing was lurid and pink with hearts and dwarf-cupids (inspired by his Valentine's Day experience in second year) dancing all around it. "Yes, well, it should be alarming more than complimenting that I can come up with a freakishly girly display stand."

Ron smiled a bit and leaned against the counter, his hands inches from Harry's."It shows you have a big feminine side."

Harry glared and flicked the boy's hand."I am very much manly, thank you."

Ron laughed and swiped Harry's beanie clean off his head, causing his long raven hair to spill out and tumble round his face. The redhead smirked and swooned." You sure are the prettiest manly man I ever did meet."

Harry glowered and snatched his beanie back, shoving it back on."Oh go stick your head in the Slug Drops."

Ron snickered," Aw, is someone grumpy about being pretty?"

Harry shoved himself off the stool and turned round to start stocking the Chili Pops and Dung Beans. Giving a huff, he rammed a handful of the pops into their basket and didn't notice Ron duck behind the counter and stand behind him. Just as he was about to reach for another handful, he was spun around and pinned against the wall.

Yelping and blushing from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes at the thigh that slipped between his legs, Harry fumbled to push the boy away. "Are you insane? There're customers here!"

Ron's lips came fractions away from his," So?"

"SO!" Harry exclaimed, then quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. Glaring at his friend, he moved his fingers only enough to hiss," 'So' you say? If anyone sees-"

"It won't do a damn thing. Thanks to this morning's paper, everyone thinks we're together anyways. "

Harry faltered, remembering those exact words from a certain spiky-haired brunette, "But-"

"Look Harry. Punickle's in prison, Malfoy Senior's set up to do the same. Jimmy and Malfoy didn't seem to mind that the whole world knew about them."

"Yeah, but thats THEM, Ron. I'm not them." He replied. Ok, so he probably could've come up with a better tactic than the whole 'why? well BECAUSE' routine, but he was at a loss. All his reasons for saying no to this had vanished. He couldn't help himself. He was Harry Potter and being Harry Potter meant being paranoid. Especially if it involved his best friend.

Ron sighed exasperatedly and leaned in further, making Harry's cheeks burn."How long do you think I'm going to put up with this?"

"P-put up with...? What?"

Ron softly brushed his lips against Harry's, making the brunette gasp and grapple to push him away. The redhead didn't seem to appreciate this since he pulled away, his hands as tight as ever on his friend's arms." _That_. Are you ashamed of me, Harry? Is that it?"

Harry's eyes widened," NO! Oh god, no! Ron, don't ever think that."

The boy's eyes softened,"Then why do you keep pushing me away?"

There was nothing he could say. Because honestly, he didn't know himself. Old habits die hard, after all. If Death-Eaters popped up out of nowhere once, whats to say they couldn't do it again. Jimmy was meant to be taken this time, it very well could be Ron next.

Ron never got an answer, however, since customers decided to take that time to ask tons of questions and kept Harry effectively busy. Lucky for Harry, of course.

It wasn't that he didn't want to answer the boy, it was just, well...he didn't know the answer. He'd begun to realize that a few days after Draco and Jimmy came out publicly. Draco still stood for inquiry, but was put on suspension for the time being until a new Head of Department was assigned and his lifestyle could be put on trial to the Wizengamot. But even so, it looked like he'd get off with his memories intact simply because of Punickle's mistakes.

So that was it. There were no more excuses to hide behind. No more lies he could tell.

Punickle was gone, Harry wasn't an Auror anymore and if he just asked, he knew Ron would give up his job. If he just **asked**...

Harry blinked from his reverie, shocked to see almost the entire day had passed. Chancing a glance over, he saw Ron croutched down infront of an upsetted display of exploding erasers. He gave a sigh, recognizing the blank look of defeat on the redhead's face. Harry scooped up his jacket after locking up the register and ushering the last straggling customers out the door. Ron was doing his damnest to ignore the brunette, and even though he deserved it, it still stung nonetheless.

"There's a party at Sirius' at 6. Ginny wants you to come." Harry said as Ron straightened out, looking down at his toes.

"Oh...Ok."

"I'm leaving now. The keys are on the counter," He mumbled and slipped out the door.

He knew he was being a coward. It ate at him how cowardly he had become. Was this really who he wanted to be?

Who WAS he?

- + -

"Cleansing rituals? Um, I think these are the only books I have on that. Have you checked with Hermione?"

"Yes, but I only got the one. Are you SURE this is all you have?"

Sirius gave a sympathetic smile and nodded. "Sorry, Harry. Perhaps Dumbledore would let you research in the Restricted Section at Hogwarts?"

Harry muttered a thank you as the man strode out of the library door, leaving him alone with a scarce stack of books and a dead end. Ugh! How could this have happened? Black Library never let him down before, nor did Hermione's (much to the astonishment of the bushy-haired woman). But alas...his search of books with powerful and PERMANENT dark arts reversal spells turned up short. Five books, and one he already knew contained nothing of worth. Flourish and Blotts seemed like a last resort seeing as he'd already went through the Restricted Section at-

"Stumped, Potter? Why am I not surprised."

Harry turned sharply at the oily sneer and his eyes narrowed of their own accord. Snape merely sighed in exasperation.

"I don't really know why I'm even bothering. You'll end up botching it or losing my book entirely." He grumbled and thrust a thin, badly battered leather-bound book into his face.

Harry took the book delicately, speechless.

"By the constipated look on your face, I can tell you're surprised..." He commented dryly, then folded his arms.

"Well...YES. You've never-"

"Given a damn before? Yes, I know." Snape said." But I couldn't very well sit back and watch you tear through everyone's libraries, leaving them an atrocious mess."

The boy nodded a bit, skeptical of that exact motive. Snape looked more nervous than haughty and his hair was strangely not...so..._oily_.

"I knew you'd never think to ask me, so I took the liberty to find you this book myself." Snape explained. Then just like that, he was walking out the door.

"Wait!" Harry exclaimed, for reasons unknown. When the man did, Harry fumbled with words as a confused frown crossed his face." Why? I mean, the messy library excuse aside...WHY?"

Snape's profile stood out in the firelight and for a few moments, he looked ...less than surly. He almost looked attractive, in a sad, tragic victim of war sort of way. " I know I was never a Marauder...but it didn't mean I didn't care for James...or his children."

Harry blinked, and was left to his own devices. Well, that was certainly odd. Revealing, yes, but still odd. Shaking his head with a sigh, he seated himself back at the desk and began flipping through the book. Amazingly enough, the book was _perfect_. It had nothing BUT cleansing spells and potions. And not the ones he'd been running into that would clean a grimy cupboard but the sort that cleansed away strong dark influences. He was sure with his Auror skills and maybe the help of Dumbledore and Jimmy, he could rid Godric's Hollow of the barrier Voldemort left when he was killed.

Thumbing page after page of complex spells that weren't exactly what he needed, he came upon a single page that had the strangest drawings on it. Pushing his glasses up, Harry leaned over to take a closer look.

There were various diagrams of circles with runes attached to them. Looking up at the name, his heart skipped a beat.

"Purifying Transmutation."

Reading through the steps, Harry knew he'd found it. The perfect spell. It would be incredibly tricky, had to be done on a full moon, circles had to be drawn that very day, runes had to be carved and soaked in holy water and it couldn't be interrupted or the spells could collapse upon one another and nullify the entire affected area. Very dangerous it seemed. What was worse, his alchemy skills were just short of shotty.

Scratching his head, Harry read on, doing quick calculations on where he could get the sundial, transmutation chalk, white rose petals, pearl stones, blessed water and such. It was the last step that caught him.

" 'And as with all transmutations, the law of equivelant exchange is prevalent. To activate the Purifying Transmutation circles, a single last ingredient is needed. Placed upon the head circle, a sacrifice is required. A sacrifice of the Innocence, of the Pure, of the Heart. What level of sacrifice is given will determine the power of the transmutation.' "

Harry exhaled and sat back, taking a few moments to let that sink in...A sacrifice? As in killing? But not only killing, murdering an innocent creature. The only thing that came to mind was getting ahold of a unicorn. But how? They were all monitored by the Ministry and not even Dumbledore would allow one of the Dark Forest's unicorns to be used in such a way..." 'Sacrifice of the Innocence, of the Pure of the Heart' ...the heart..."

Harry looked up and bit his lip. _Of the Heart_. Later he would give it more thought. He closed the book, stowed it in his bag with the others and hurried downstairs into the parlour of Black Manor, where the party was well under way.

He peeked in through the double doors, watching as Tonks scolded Sirius for making Remus faint, Hermione giggle at something Jimmy said and Ginny cow what looked to be the whole Weasley family and Draco into admitting she would make a great wife. Everyone was there, even Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, but where was-

"Have you seen Ron?"

"Heard he was sick. Didn't feel like coming down."

"Probably ate something rotten-"

"--Like fish--"

"--Or dungbombs--"

"--Or spoiled milk--"

"--Or Snape's cooking."

"Fred! George!"

"I thought I saw him in the garden, actually. "

"Doing what?"

"Well, sitting from the looks of it."

"Why was he just sitting?"

"How the hell should I know Granger! I don't fancy prying into my friends' minds. If Weasel wants to sit there like a lump, he can sit there."

"You know, you think you'd be a LITTLE more nicer after all we've done for you. "

"Like what? Coo over every single thing Jimmy and I do? Its nauseating. Makes me feel like a stuffed animal."

"Like a cute little bunny."

"Watch it Potter."

Harry slipped back down the hall just as Draco began chasing Jimmy about for calling him 'Bunnykins'. It WAS sort of nauseating how cute they were together. It shouldn't be legal for all that cute to be around. After pulling on a jacket, scarf and beanie, he crept out the back door and headed straight into the hedged in garden. If Draco saw him by just passing by, chances were he moved a bit farther inside. And the only place he thought to look was-

" Ron."

The redhead looked up from his seat on the same bench they had had their fight on. He was leaned forward on his knees and his hair spilled across his forehead, gently blowing in the cold December air. Perhaps he'd done it on a whim, but Harry draped his scarf round the boy's neck and sat next to him. Ron looked downright startled, gingerly fingering the thick, warm scarf as he sat up.

"Thanks..." He murmured and snuggled his head further down into the scarf.

"No problem." Harry muttered in response, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Mmm..."

"What?" Harry asked, turning to the boy with a little blush.

Ron smiled softly," It smells like you."

Harry blushed a bit more and crossed his ankles." O-oh."

The silence that came was not exactly awkward, but far from peaceful. Harry could tell Ron knew he hadn't come out here for the hell of it. HE knew he hadn't come out here for the hell of it.

Oh for goodness sakes, Potter! Just come right out and say it!

"Ron, I..."

A pair of blue eyes turned to watch him stumble for words.

Harry took a deep breath, idly watching it form a cloud as he exhaled. "Ron, I think we need to talk about New Guinea."

The boy blinked, and Harry pressed on before his brain caught up with his mouth.

"We've been shying away from the problem here, and I know our friendship can't last one more blow." Harry sunk his chin into the collar of his sweatshirt, searching for the right words."That night I found you at the gazebo and what ultimately ended up happening...I admit, it was physical for me...But the longer I had to think about it, the more I came to realize how much I cherished you. And that one night when I came to you and you slept with me in my bed and didn't say a thing about why my wrist was gashed...that was when I truly realized my feelings for you."

Pausing, Harry chanced a glance over. Ron had his head down, his hair curtaining his eyes and what expression they held in them.

"At New Guinea, you were my best friend. The person I cherished most in the world. The person I would sorely miss...and...you were hurting, and I didn't know why, and I didn't know what I could do to help, and then we kissed and we...we made love...and I don't regret it, Ron.I really don't. The only thing I regret from that night is not talking to you about it and stopping things from getting worse, which they inevitably did."

"And what would you have said?" Ron inquired quietly.

Harry stared at the young man, his best friend, and replied just as quietly." ' I'm so sorry, Ron. I never meant for things to get so out of hand...Last night was beautiful and it'll become one of my fondest memories...But I'm bad at this sort of thing. So YOU tell ME what you want.' "

The silence this time was completely unpleasant. Harry waited anxiously for Ron's reply, which felt like would never come. The redhead's eyes were closed, his lips drawn in a tight line, and his fists were bunched up in Harry's scarf. Harry was about to get up to leave when Ron's voice stopped him.

" I would've said 'I want us together. Not just best friends, but TOGETHER. I want to take care of you and make you smile and wipe away your tears and grow old with you. I want to wake up to you like this morning for the rest of my life. I want to be able to just grab you and kiss you and love you exactly the way you deserve to be loved...I just want YOU.' "

Harry bit down on his lip as he watched a tear escape down Ron's freckled cheek. "...so all this time?"

"I've loved you...Ever since the second task in third year." Ron looked down, sniffling. "What now?"

Harry brushed away the tear and met with Ron's misty toffee gaze. The taller youth placed his hand atop Harry's and they were leaning in and his heart was racing and Harry could feel Ron's breath on his cheek and-

"There you two are! I've been hunting all over for you!"

Harry literally jumped at the voice, upsetting him from his precarious sitting arrangement and landing him on the icy ground with a gasp. Ron got to his feet, blushing brightly and didn't even think to help Harry up.

"What is it?"

Ginny stopped infront of them. If she was suspicious of what they had been doing, she didn't react to it and merely placed her hands on his hips." Party, announcement, HELLOOOOOO. Come on now, I especially want you two to hear it."

Harry helped himself to his feet and ambled after Ron, rubbing his injured bum. The raucous inside wasn't as comforting as it should've been. Harry felt off and unsettled. And from the look on Ron's face, he felt the same way.

What had he been about to do? Kissing Ron wasn't going to solve things. It'd only make his situation the more worse. They were in a delicate place right now and kisses were never just kisses for them. And Harry didn't want them to be just kisses but he treasured their friendship more than those delicious moments of bliss. But the little voice in his head that was usually the supplier of his less than remarkable decisions (i.e. going after the Sorcerer's Stone, driving a flying car to school, following spiders into the Forbidden Forest, blowing up Aunt Marge, asking out Cho Chang, sneaking into the Ministry, etc etc etc...) didn't want to shut up. Over and over, it kept repeating the same thing "_kiss him..kiss him...kiss him..._"

It was getting harder to ignore it.

"Ok! Now that we're all here, I'll tell you why I wanted us to gather in the first place."

"Oh, it _wasn't_ to celebrate all the glorious gay shagging?" Draco said coyly, resting his chin on Jimmy's shoulder.

Ginny batted her eyelashes, smiling." Oh, thats a celebration unto itself, you vain prat, but no. Surprisingly I had a less than superficial reason to call this party."

"Well, what is it then Gin?" Fred asked from behind his butterbeer.

"Well!" Ginny started, clapping her hands together excitedly." As you all know, I've been working like a maniac as Minister--" here, grunts of agreement were heard from not only Jimmy, but various other Weasleys."--and all the stress has finally paid off!"

Harry rose his eyebrow at Ginny's obvious excitement. He just didn't see the big deal with politics now that Fudge was out of office or why it would be this fantastic.

"Well, out with it Gin!" George pressed.

"Ok, well...after a long and hard debate, the Wizengamot has finally passed an ammendant to article 36 of the Ministry Mandate."

Jimmy frowned." That's the one prohibiting Ministry Officials to date the same sex, right?"

At this, Ginny grinned." Yep!"

NOW, Harry was intrigued." So what exactly did you 'ammend'?"

Ginny looked besides herself with glee." Well, to put it simply...now they can."

"Can what?" Ron asked, looking puzzled.

"They can date the same sex." Ginny stated simply." And as of today, a petition to allow same-sex marriages has **finally** entered the Wizengamot's program to begin the first stage of voting."

Jimmy, Draco, Ron and Harry all exchanged looks of bewilderment before the room was filled with shouts of joy. Draco swung Jimmy round while the Weasleys surrounded the couple. Sirius and Remus held eachother, twin grins of happiness on their faces. Harry stared at the floor, feeling Ron's gaze so heavy on him it was if he was being crushed. The din of happiness was quickly drowned out by the intensity of Harry's crumbling world.

- + -

"Can you BELIEVE it? It's just too much."

Harry looked up lazily from the magazine to Jimmy who had paused in his task of stocking fresh laundry in his dresser to stare at the wall in wonder. The elder Potter sighed and scratched his head, going back to an article about a wizard who lost his foot to his school sweetheart. It was much more interesting than listening to THIS prattle again.

"I still can't get over it. How Ginny managed to pull that ammendment off, I'll never know. But..."He once again paused, a pair of boxers pressed to his chest."GOD! Its-"

"Unbelieveable. YES, Jimmy, we get it. "Harry snapped, getting off the bed and throwing the magazine on top of the pillows.

Jimmy turned with a scowl, stuffing the last of the laundry into the drawer, regardless of whether the jeans really went with the undergarments." What the hell is your problem? You've been acting like a jackass ever since we got back from the party yesterday."

Harry grunted and strode from the room, ignoring his brother's growls of fury. It was probably inevitable that the boy would follow him into his own room, despite the door almost slamming in his face.

"The fuck! I'm_ this_ close to just slapping the shit outta you. Now what the HELL has crawled up your ass?" Jimmy demanded, hands on hips as he glowered levelly at his twin.

Harry rummaged through his closet, in need of a decent jacket before realizing he'd left his thickest at Sirius'. "Nothing."

Jimmy growled and stomped over, jerking the jacket Harry had been in the process of putting on off and clear across the room."Bullshit! You've been a jerk for weeks now. Even Draco's starting to complain."

"Oh, well, if his majesty is _complaining_..."He muttered, grabbing a sweater instead and walking to the door.

"Is that what this is about? Draco? Him living here?"

Harry shoved his long hair back moodily, "As if I'd care either way."

"Sure doesn't seem like it."

"Well then YOU'RE the idiot, cause I don't have a problem with the Princess," he said as he walked from the room and headed down the stairs.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes and quickly followed, " Then who? **Me**?"

"I don't have a problem with ANYONE, just stop it. You're overeacting over a whole lot of nothing," Harry grumbled as he nicked his keys and wallet from the coffee table.

"Then why don't you stay and talk to me for once? You're always walking away! You're never home! All I ever see of you lately is your BACK! Just TALK to me Harry!"

The brunette paused his hand on the doorknob, hearing the hitch of desperation in his brother's voice.

"It's Ron, isn't it. You guys talked and now you're freaking out. God! What is it about him that always has you losing your head!"

Harry bit his lip, feeling some irrational brashness slowly leaving his body.

"If you love him, then just LOVE him, Harry. There're no laws or Punickle or shared genetics standing in your way. So either be with him or do us all a favor and end things once and for all, cause the drama is getting **old**."

He didn't bother to wait to give a reply or defend himself or cry in agreement, he simply slipped out the door and disappeared into the late evening rainstorm.

- + -

The next morning Sirius would be startled to find a soaked Harry Potter slumped beneath a yew tree in the Black Gardens.

After coming inside and having Sirius dry him off as Remus forced a cup of hot tea down his throat, Harry was then led into Remus' study and sat down for an explaination.

"I don't have one."

Sirius frowned as Remus shoved another cup of tea into Harry's hands. "Bollocks. You almost catch pneumonia and you expect us to believe you did it out of sheer IMPULSE?"

Harry stared into his hot drink, feeling numb not only from the cold. He felt the couch dip besides him and an arm curl round his shoulders. His cheek pressed against a warm chest and he was hardpressed not to start crying.

Another body sat down besides him and soon he was sandwiched between two very firm, comforting embraces. Sure, he was nineteen, lived on his own, had a job and took care of himself, but nothing said he had to be strong and independent ALWAYS.

So he broke down, if only briefly. Silent tears spilled down his cheeks and he frantically tried to find words to describe exactly WHY his life was such a mess and the constant pang of hopelessness as he spun out of control. Sirius and Remus demanded no more explainations and just held him, occasionally sniffling once or twice themselves.

What felt like hours later, they broke apart and, ever the doting maternal figure, Remus persuaded Harry to eat a biscuit.

"Do you feel like talking, Harry?" Remus inquired gently.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. We can just sit here and be here for you if thats what you want," Sirius added on, tucking Harry's hair behind his ears.

The brunette smiled gratefully, fresh tears trickling down his cheeks. He didn't like to admit it, but he loved it when they acted like this. Like mother and father. Even though Harry had Lily and James, he knew only Sirius and Remus would be his true parents. "Thanks...even if I wanted to talk, I don't think I could. "

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, buttering another biscuit for the boy.

"I...I can't really describe what I'm going through right now. All I know is that I'm...confused. So..LOST. Like I'm in the Third Task's maze, fighting to find my way out and all I do is get deeper and deeper into the fog."

The couple exchanged a worried glance over Harry's head before settling their attention back on him.

"Do you know what started this? What exactly made you feel this way?" Sirius asked.

Harry sighed and hung his head. It wasn't that he was afraid to admit it, because he knew Sirius and Remus would be accepting. It just felt...so _final_. His carefully crafted denial would inevitably break under the pressure of reality."I...it's Ron."

The older men nodded knowingly and gently squeezed each side of Harry's shoulders. In face of the following silence, they knew he wasn't going to elaborate an already tired topic, seeing as it'd be redundant and needlessly painful. So instead, Remus handed him another warm biscuit and Sirius let Harry rest his head on the man's lap and soon the warmth of the room combined with the doting care of the couple had Harry_ finally_ sleeping.

- + -

It was well past midnight when Harry slipped out the study door and crept soundlessly down the staircase. After making it to the kitchen successfully, he grabbed a pen and scribbled a quick thank you note while grabbing a rather enticing looking apple from the basket on the kitchen table. Propping the note atop said basket, he was almost out the door when a certain hoarse voice called him back.

"Not even gonna pop in to say hello?"

Harry stiffened, knuckles turning white as he gripped the doorjam in panic. It was too early yet to be dealing with this right now.

"Oh...so that's the way its going to be, eh. Guess I saw it coming."

He wanted to speak, he really did, but emotions were stacking up and deep-rooted fears and horrible habits kept him from opening his mouth.

"Alright then. I suppose...that's that."

Harry turned ever the slightest, unaware that his face had paled and his eyes ringed red with unshed tears." That's that."

Ron's expression remained impassive. The first time Harry had ever seen Ron guard his inner thoughts and emotions from him. And that was the clincher. That single act told Harry, once and for all, that it was over. They both couldn't keep running round in circles and chasing after something that wouldn't happen. So Ron nodded and Harry looked away and a nine year run finally came to an end.

- + -

Days probably turned into weeks, he didn't know, he'd lost track at this point. He'd quit his job at Weasley's Wheezes and never left his bedroom save a trip to the loo and weekends spent in Prague, occupying that flavour of the week's bed until monday morning. He slept during the day and stayed up all night, plinking away at his computer because complete strangers thousands of miles away took away the memories faster than anyone nearby.

Stupid conversations that melted into one big blur. Everything became a blur, a smudge. Something insignificant rubbed away by the wear of time. Life went on outside his door, but he stayed the same. Just as lost and confused and hopeless as before. The spiral he felt himself tumbling down finally had a black pit at the bottom, in which he currently resided. He never thought depression suited him well, but for once, he let himself subcuumb. It felt nice, really. Giving in and letting go of the pressure of making a decision right NOW NOW NOW, knowing he'd lost the only chance he'd probably ever get of having someone love him. Knowing now he'd be alone.

He didn't intend on living here forever. He couldn't stand to look at Jimmy and Draco's glares were becoming too much to bear. He'd decided to take a page from Ron's book and move far away. Already he'd found a studio in Prague that looked perfect.

"You can't keep going at this rate." Cienna had said somewhere along the line. "Sooner or later, you're going to crash and burn."

"'bout time, don't you think." He'd replied and he was sure he hadn't seen her since.

The monitor blared brightly in the dark room as he typed away to tonight's current distraction; a girl from Texas who had an annoying way of chopping up the english language. And as the cursor blinked monotonously in the half-written chatbox, a choked sob snaked up his throat and fresh tears spilled down his pallid cheeks.

This was life now. And he hated every second of it.

- + -

His room had seemed to have sealed shut on him somewhere along the way. No sounds filtered through the walls and the world just outside his window moved on without him in a silent, mocking sort of way. It was on one of these days as he sat on the window seat, watching a family from up the road taking a nice Sunday stroll, that his self-inflected isolation was disturbed.

"Hello Harry."

To say he was shocked would be overestimating his range of emotions by then. He was mildly surprised, mostly suspicious, as he turned back to look out the window after a brief glance at his visitor. "They couldn't talk to me themselves, so they sent in the B-team."

Hermione frowned and walked over, her heels the only sound in the quiet room. Her jacket rustled as she sat down on the edge of the immaculate bed and smoothed down nonexistant wrinkles on the bedspread. He could hear her searching for the right way to start, and he wasn't very much in the mood to humor her.

"You're wasting your time, you know. Why don't you just get back to work and stay out of other people's business."

It was a testament to how long they'd gone without properly speaking to eachother that Harry would dare mutter such disrespect to Molly Weasley Incarnate, Hermione Granger herself.

But instead of the usual tirade she'd usually subcuumb to, she merely sighed, almost sadly, and shifted a brown-wrapped parcel onto her lap. "Oh Harry, what's happened to you."

He scoffed half-heartedly, dull green eyes following the path of a bird outside.

"You may think that Sirius or Mrs.Weasley sent me, and yes, you're right, they sought me out to try and talk to you. They seemed to think that what with us having been best friends at Hogwarts, that of all people, _I'd_ be able to get through to you." Here she took a pause, and Harry almost turned around to see why. "But I know better. Just because I was your best friend didn't mean I necessarily knew you best. Alot happened the past few years to really damage what we had, and they don't understand that. They don't see that...that we both changed."

Now Harry turned around.

"But even though we both changed, doesn't mean I can't still be here for you when you're in trouble. I know it was different before. There're no stones to save, no monsters to slay, no Godfathers to rescue, no more adventures to research for. This time its real, its LIFE."

Harry kept his eyes trained on her shoes, noticing that they, like the rest of her, were neat and buffed and pretty. " So what makes you think you can help me?"

"Because...I love you, Harry. I always have."

Turning pained green eyes up to her, he stared and tried to hold back the dull ache of memories." No you don't. You never did. It was all a hoax, a lie, a plot just to kill me...Its always just a lie..."

"Maybe those few months, yes, but I loved you before that. You were, and still are, like a brother to me, Harry. You're so very precious to me."

Perhaps it was something in the way she spoke, maybe it was even the words themselves, or maybe he was just too drained to hide it, but something in him strained. His posture gave nothing away of course, but Hermione, being who she was, saw the subtle signs and took advantage.

Soon, Harry found himself nuzzled to a soft sweater, arms cradling his head so tenderly that tears sprung to his eyes.

He would've liked to have cried then, to let a bit of the agony inside of him release in the form of a cascade of cool tears. But it was not to be. He merely sat there, limp, confused and numb as Hermione stroked his hair and muttered desperate pleas for him to let her help.

He wished she could've helped. She always helped in the past. There had never been a problem he couldn't find the answer to with her. But like Hermione had said, they both changed, this was not some rash adventure. This was life. HIS life.

But he sat with her anyway and ate the chocolate she had brought him and let her pet his hair as he dutifully laid his head in her lap and tried to get the sleep she demanded from him. And he knew he had to find a solution. He knew it had to end.

- + -

Things never seemed as clear as when one decided to stand on the sidelines. To look at a problem objectively and come to an equally objective solution. That was supposed to be a skill, a special knack; but then again, who could EVER be objective about their heart?

Harry was no exception. He could strategize and attack with the best of them, but when it came to matters of the heart, well...he was pathetic. Amazing, really, of all things to bring down the Boy-Who-Lived-Again, it was the love of a ginger-haired boy.

Harry trekked the last few paces down the hill and sunk bodily to his knees at the foot of the headstone. It seemed almost silly that he hadn't thought to visit his parents during his chaotic descent into depression. What he needed was comfort. What he needed was support. What he needed was guidance.

"Hey. Bet you weren't expecting me back so soon, eh?" He mumbled, a dry smile tugging at his lips. "I almost didn't come. It...didn't really cross my mind to seek solace in you. I know that sounds bad, but its the truth. I have Siri and Remus but I just can't bring myself to go to them again. I don't want to bother them with my problems. I haven't really gotten used to going to people for help. I guess I always thought...heroes don't need rescuing."

At first, it had seemed so childish to talk to a slab of marble and some grass, seeing as the people it was for were long gone. But now that he was here, and the cold December breeze whistled across the hills and the thick grey clouds cast shadows over everything and there was nothing for miles on either side of him, it felt like it would be wrong if he _didn't_ talk to them.

Lowering his head, he curled up next to the smooth marble, idly tracing the engravings with a gloved fingertip as he mused." I don't know what I was expecting coming here. Peace? Solutions? Some grand miracle that would somehow fix me? I'm not sure anymore...I just..."

just ...what...?

Harry frowned, staring at a few blades of grass that were slapping against the bottom of the grave. " I just want answers. I want this screaming in my head to go AWAY. I just--"

want it to end?

"Yes! Is that so wrong?"

it depends.

"On what?"

on you.

"What?"

you thought by coming here, you'd escape the truth by asking questions to which you know you'd never get the answer. you were seeking solace through silence.

"What! What's that supposed to mean?"

stop running, Harry.

"I'm not running from anything."

stop lying to yourself. stop lying to us.

"I'm not lying. I'm just--"

you're lying to yourself. you're denying the truth. you're running away from everything and everyone. stop running, baby. stop running.

"I'm not running I said! Let me ex--"

--stop hurting yourself.

"Stop it!"

stop blaming yourself for things that weren't in your control.

"STOP it!"

stop denying yourself the love you deserve. stop pushing him away.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!"

stop it Harry. **please.** stop it. stop it. stop it. stop it. stop-

"SHUT UP! Just shut UP!" Harry screamed, leaping to his feet. The bitter wind stung at his tear-streaked cheeks, chilling him despite his jacket, sweater and scarf. " Don't you think I know all this! I'm not the bloody idiot everyone seems to think I am! I know what I've done! I know what I've become! I know what--" Harry paused in his rant to gulp in cold air. This was the painful bit. " what I'm afraid of."

The wind on the hills almost sounded like whispers, encouraging him on. At this stage, he didn't much care if they were or weren't. For all intents and purposes, his parents were there, watching and listening as he finally brokedown.

"Cause that's it, isn't it? I'm...afraid." This revelation should've shocked him, but it didn't. Somewhere inside of him, he already knew. All those excuses. All those lies. Punickle and laws and regrets and Death-Eaters. It was all just so he could stay at a distance and keep himself safe. He could save the world, but he couldn't save himself.

Voldemort had set out to kill him and only now did Harry realize he'd done so much more...He'd managed to kill any hope of Harry being able to love properly. Cause he'd always be looking over his shoulder. He'd always be expecting the worse. He'd always be prepared for loss and death and blood and nightmares. He was so used to it, he'd built his entire life around Voldemort and his attacks. He hadn't won. The Dark Lord had.

"Is that it? Is that the end then? What am I supposed to do now?" Harry muttered weakly into his hands, the wind tugging at his loose hair. The silence that dragged on in the wake of his internal divulgence was deafening. Lowering his hands to his sides, he stared at the immobile block of stone. Curling fingers into fists, he spoke louder." What am I supposed to do now?"

Still, he was met with silence.

Feeling betrayed somehow, abandoned, he kicked the headstone visciously, forgoing the pain in favor of screaming, " WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO! **ANSWER** ME GOD DAMMIT!"

The trees rustled their leaves and the breeze lifted his hair in every direction.

Feeling the fight leave him almost instaneously, he slumped against the headstone, a dry sob spilling from defeated lips. "...please...what am I...supposed to do...?"

.._.just_...

Green eyes lifted, a clear stretch of blue-grey sky meeting with billowing oceans of frost-tipped grass. "Just...**what**?"

.._.let go_...

Harry pushed himself up, looking around the empty hillside, as if the tree and the grass and the clouds would give him an explanation. "Let go? Let go of what? What do you _**mean**_?!"

A large, gaping silence followed and Harry was just about to sink back onto the grass and never get back up when a strong gust of wind plowed into him suddenly. Barely catching himself from toppling over, he grasped onto the headstone, gasping as a particularly fierce current yanked his scarf from round his neck. He watched in stunned bewilderment as the wind lifted his scarf high up into the air then carried it beyond the hill. Shaking himself from his temporary stupor, Harry scrambled in pursuit, slipping once or twice on small patches of snow and mud.

The scarf danced and twirled above his head, red fringe taunting him as it flew on ahead of him. Too busy frantically trying to snag at a tassel or two, he didn't notice his chase had led him straight through the village. Finally, his race ended as the brilliant orange scarf fortutously snagged on the branch of a scraggly tree.

Scowling at the offending article of clothing, Harry then stopped to take in his surroundings and when he did, he was nothing short of stumped.

For he stood in the middle of the backyard of the ruins of his parents' home. Though he would've liked to have taken the opportunity to curse at the omnipotence of whatever deities were fooling with him, he couldn't help but pause and accept the moment for what it was.

It couldn't exactly be called divine intervention, because he was sure he would never hear the end of it from Sirius who would assume James would be gloating from his little cloud, his ego increased exponentially at being referred to as 'divine'.

But as the Weasley scarf waved at him merrily from its perch, and the wind pushed away quite a few leaves from what looked to be the only stretch of floor still perfectly intact and the words "just let go" humming in his ear, Harry wasn't sure what else to call it, but it was as close as divine as he could get.

And Sirius would just have to deal.

- + -

tbc...


End file.
